Clinical pharmacology of calcium antagonists. Satellite symposium on calcium antagonists.

A new class of agents has been made available for the treatment of hypertension. These calcium antagonists have rapid bioavailability and dramatic antihypertensive effects through reduction of total peripheral resistance and the vascular resistance of the major target organs of the body. These changes are usually associated with unchanged cardiac output, preserved organ blood flows, maintained organ function, and preserved reflex responses without fluid retention in long-term treatment. These drugs do not stimulate plasma renin activity and aldosterone levels. Thus they fulfill many of the major criteria for an ideal antihypertensive agent.