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Pharmacology of Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels in Clinic

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Abstract

The diversity of voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCC) allows precise time- and voltage-dependent regulation of calcium ions entry into cells. Individual calcium channel subtypes participate in the initiation of neuronal action potential and repetitive action potential firing; in cardiac pacemaking and signal conduction; in shaping an action potential plateau; and in action potential repolarization. Calcium entry through VGCC is necessary for cardiac and smooth muscle cell contraction. Since disrupted regulation of calcium homeostasis accompanies various pathologies, the complex pattern of regulation of cell physiology by VGCC makes them an attractive target for pharmaceutical agents. The most common pathologies treated with VGCC blockers are cardiovascular diseases, especially hypertension, angina, and tachycardia. In addition, calcium channels have been identified as targets of some antiepileptic and anesthetic drugs. More recently, specific VGCC blockers were introduced in the treatment of chronic pain, and these have also proved beneficial as support therapy in neurodegenerative diseases and cognitive impairment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Molecular Physiology and Genetics Slovak Academy of Sciences, Vlarska 5, 833 34, Bratislava, Slovakia

    Lubica Lacinová & Lucia Lichvárová

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  1. Lubica Lacinová
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  2. Lucia Lichvárová
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Correspondence to Lubica Lacinová .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada

    Norbert Weiss

  2. Department of Neurophysiology and Pharmacology, Medical University Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Alexandra Koschak

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Lacinová, L., Lichvárová, L. (2014). Pharmacology of Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels in Clinic. In: Weiss, N., Koschak, A. (eds) Pathologies of Calcium Channels. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-40282-1_16

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