Long-Term Effects of Calcium Channel Blockers on Central and Peripheral Arteries

Abstract

Calcium channel blockers (CCBs) are reported to be more effective in reducing cerebrovascular events than other antihypertensive drugs in hypertensive patients. Large artery stiffness could be partly reduced through the reduction of the distending pressure and arterial structural changes by long-term treatment with CCBs. Because CCBs reduce the magnitude of wave reflection by attenuating the vascular tone of peripheral muscular arteries, CCBs cause a greater fall in the central aortic pressure than did β-blockers or diuretics, despite no difference in peripheral (brachial) pressure. The de-stiffening of the large arteries and the dilation of peripheral muscular arteries by CCBs might be underlying mechanisms of the significant reductions in central pressure and blood pressure variability, thus reducing carotid atherosclerosis, cerebral arteriosclerotic damage, and cerebrovascular events in hypertensive patients.