Calcium Antagonists: A Critical Review [Paperback]

1 Physiological Significance of Calcium: Calcium Antagonism.- 1.1 Physiological Significance of Calcium.- 1.1.1 Action Potential and Cardiac Pacemaker Cells.- 1.1.2 Excitation-Contraction Coupling in the Myocardium.- 1.1.2.1 Action Potential in the Myocardial Cell.- 1.1.2.2 Anatomy of the Myocardial Cell.- 1.1.2.3 Cellular and Subcellular Calcium Movements.- 1.1.2.4 Molecular Mechanism of Muscle Contraction.- 1.1.3 Excitation-Contraction Coupling in Smooth Muscle.- 1.2 Calcium Antagonism.- 1.2.1 Definition of Calcium Antagonists.- 1.2.2 Basic Effects on the Heart.- 1.2.3 Basic Effects on Smooth Muscle.- 1.2.4 Mechanism and Site of Action.- 1.2.5 Classification of Calcium Antagonists.- References.- 2 Chemical Structure and Pharmacokinetics of Calcium Antagonists.- 2.1 Chemical Structure.- 2.1.1 Verapamil Group.- 2.1.2 Diltiazem.- 2.1.3 Dihydropyridine Group.- 2.1.4 Other Calcium Antagonists.- 2.2 Pharmacokinetics.- 2.2.1 Verapamil Group.- 2.2.2 Diltiazem.- 2.2.3 Dihydropyridine Group.- 2.2.4 Other Calcium Antagonists.- 2.2.5 Dosage Guidelines for Galium Antagonists: Individualized Dosage.- 2.2.6 Generics: Sustained-Release Preparations.- References.- 3 Pharmacological Effects of Calcium Antagonists.- 3.1 Cardiovascular System.- 3.1.1 Preliminary Remarks.- 3.1.2 Pacemaker and Conduction System.- 3.1.3 Myocardium.- 3.1.4 Cardioprotection.- 3.1.5 Vascular System.- 3.1.5.1 Coronary Vessels.- 3.1.5.2 Other Vessels.- 3.1.6 Integrated Haemodynamic Response.- References.- 3.2 Smooth Muscle.- 3.2.1 Gastrointestinal Tract.- 3.2.2 Respiratory Tract.- 3.2.3 Urogenital Tract.- References.- 3.3 Other Organ Systems.- 3.3.1 Kidney.- 3.3.2 Metabolism  Endocrinology.- 3.3.3 Erythrocytes  Thrombocytes  Mast Cells.- 3.3.4 Eye.- 3.3.5 Bone-Mineral Metabolism.- 3.3.6 Central Nervous System.- References.- 3.4 Atherosclerosis  Antiatherogenic Effects.- References.- 4 Indications for Calcium Antagonists.- 4.1 Coronary Heart Disease.- 4.1.1 Presenting Forms: Coronary Physiology.- 4.1.2 Stl§