A review on calcium channel blockers as an effective treatment strategy for hypertension

Abstract

A higher force that blood applies to artery walls is characteristic of hypertension, known as high blood pressure. Calcium channel blockers (CCBs) treat hypertension via specifically blocking voltage-gated calcium channels found in the smooth muscle cells of the arterial walls. CCBs prevent calcium ions from entering these cells which relaxes the arterial smooth muscle cells and widens the blood vessels. DHP-CCBs e.g. amlodipine and nifedipine are the most frequently suggested CCBs because they are well-tolerated, have few adverse effects, and effectively control blood pressure. Diltiazem and verapamil, two non-DHP-CCBs are alternative therapies used to treat hypertension, angina and arrhythmias and block calcium channels in the heart, causing a heart rate and contractility drop. This review article covers mechanism of action, synthesis and SARs of CCBs. It aims to assist medicinal chemists in the field of developing new antihypertensive agents through presenting recent information on producing CCBs and their synthetic techniques in the literature.