Adverse Effects

Abstract

CEBs are surprisingly well tolerated considering their potent inhibitory action on calcium metabolism. Although these agents have the potential to stop the heart and, or to produce profound hypotension, the frequency of such events has not limited the rapid expansion of their therapeutic use. The therapeutic benefit derived from these agents appears to justify the risk (low incidence of limiting side effects). The benefit to risk relationships of CEBs, however, must be determined for each indication, for each individual agent and finally for each patient. The therapeutic benefits of CEBs in angina, hypertension and certain other conditions has been discussed above (Sect. 4.7). The therapeutic risks of these agents are expressed as the incidence of adverse reactions. The principle adverse reactions of CEBs are expressions of their primary interference with calcium-medicated excitation-contraction coupling of cardiac muscle or vascular or nonvascular smooth muscle (Table 8).