Calcium Channel Blockers - Treatments of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH)

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The name “calcium channel blockers” refers to an entire class of medications. These medications block calcium from entering the muscle cells of the heart and arteries. It is the calcium concentration in these cells that causes the arteries to narrow and the heart to contract. The main usage of calcium channel blockers is to lower the blood pressure of people with conditions such as pulmonary arterial hypertension. Calcium channel blockers works by dilating the arteries, which reduces the pressure in the arteries. This, in turn, allows the heart to pump blood through the arteries more efficiently with less strain. This reduces the risk of severe complications such as heart failure, which is the main cause of fatalities in pulmonary arterial hypertension. This treatment is considered extremely effective, but does not work for everyone.

Calcium channel blockers were first used in the United States in 1981, with sustained release formulas following ten years later. Calcium channel blockers are typically used in the treatment of angina, high blood pressure, pulmonary arterial hypertension, and abnormal heart rhythms. The side effects typically seen in patients taking calcium channel blockers include nausea, headache, drowsiness, constipation, and edema. A physician should be called right away if the individual experiences breathing difficulties, skin rash, or hair loss. These are indications of an allergic reaction to the calcium channel blockers, and medical treatment is needed quickly. The physician should also be notified if the patient experiences an irregular or slow heart beat as this can indicate a serious complication.

Many patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension have benefited from using calcium channel blockers. There are several different types of calcium channel blockers that can be used for treatment and they each have unique characteristics. The main differences are how much they affect the heart, how long they work, and how they are eliminated from the body. Some calcium channel blockers are gentle enough to be used in patients with heart failure, while other calcium channel blockers can be used to reduce the heart rate of a patient whose heart is beating too fast. Common calcium channel blockers used for treatment in the United States include:

• Nifedipine - sold under the trade names Adalat, Procardia
• Verapamil - sold under the trade names Calan, Covera-HS, Isoptin, Verelan
• Nicardipine - sold under the trade name Cardene
• Diltiazem - sold under the trade names Cardizem, Cartia, Dilacor XR, Diltia XT, Tiamate, Tiazac
• Isradipine - sold under the trade name DynaCirc
• Amlodipine - sold under the trade names Lotrel Norvasc
• Nimodipine - sold under the trade name Nimotop
• Felodipine - sold under the trade name Plendil
• Nisoldipine - sold under the trade name Sular
• Bepridil - sold under the trade name Vascor

Overdoses of calcium channel blockers are widely considered to be the most lethal drug ingestion around. In children, the medication can be fatal with the ingestion of only one pill. With the short acting versions of the medications, an overdose causes cardiac arrest quickly. Extended relief versions of the medications can cause irregular heart beats, bowel ischemia, shock, and sudden cardiac collapse. Individuals suspected of ingesting too many calcium channel blockers should be quickly transported to a medical facility and will be monitored in an ICU setting.

Treatments for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

• Anticoagulants
• Calcium Channel Blockers
• Beraprost (prostacyclin)
• Diuretics
• Flolan (epoprostenol sodium)
• Iloprost (Ventavis)
• Lasix
• Revatio (Viagra, sildenafil citrate)
• Tracleer (Bosentan)
• Remodulin (UT-15, treprostinil sodium
  

Do I have a Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Lawsuit?

The Defective Drug Litigation Group at our law firm is an experienced team of trial lawyers that focus exclusively on the representation of plaintiffs in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH), Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH) and Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (IPAH) lawsuits. We are handling individual litigation nationwide and currently accepting new Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension cases in all 50 states.

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