Calcium channel blockers: Is the jury still out?

BMJ 1998;317:1591 ( 5 December )

Letters

Calcium channel blockers: Is the jury still out?

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR $---$ Stanton's editorial on calcium channel blockers¹ is based on an incomplete review of the available evidence. I foundthree additional published randomised controlled trials in whichcalcium channel blockers were compared with other drugs for thetreatment of hypertension in predominantly non-diabetic patients.^2-4The study group on long term antihypertensive therapy² comparedan angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, delapril, with dihydropyridinecalcium channel blockers; the cardiovascular study in the elderlycompared the combination of chlorthalidone and atenolol with nifedipinein an elderly hypertensive population (I have been kindly providedwith 12 year outcome data for the individual drugs by Casiglia)³;and the verapamil in hypertension and atherosclerosis study comparedchlorthalidone with verapamil.⁴ If the total cardiovascularevents (stroke, coronary heart disease, and congestive heart failure)are combined for the other drugs compared with the calcium channelblockers, all six trials show a trend towards a benefit for theother . . . [Full text of this article]