Difference Between Dihydropyridine and Nondihydropyridine Calcium Channel Blockers

The key difference between dihydropyridine and nondihydropyridine calcium channel blockers is that dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers act through systemic vascular vasodilation of arteries, whereas non-dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers act selectively on the myocardium.

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What are Dihydropyridine Calcium Channel Blockers
3. What are Nondihydropyridine Calcium Channel Blockers
4. Dihydropyridine vs Nondihydropyridine Calcium Channel Blockers in Tabular Form
5. Summary

What are Dihydropyridine Calcium Channel Blockers?

Dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers are molecules that are derived from dihydropyridine. These drugs are very useful in reducing systemic vascular resistance and arterial pressure. Sometimes we can use this drug to treat angina. We can also use it to treat vasodilation and hypertension, which can lead to reflect tachycardia. This condition can be detrimental in patients having ischemic symptoms, which occur as a result of an increment in myocardial oxygen demand. However, this drug can worsen proteinuria in patients experiencing nephropathy.

Some common examples for dihydropyridine include amlodipine, aranidipine, azelnidipine, barnidipine, benidipine, clevidipine, etc.

What are Nondihydropyridine Calcium Channel Blockers?

Non-dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers are molecules derived from phenylakylamine and benzothiazepine. Usually, phenylakylamine calcium channel blockers tend to be relatively selective for the myocardium, and it helps to reduce myocardial oxygen demand and reverse coronary vasospasm. Also, we can use this drug to treat angina. Compared to dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers, these drugs have minimal vasodilatory effects. Therefore, this drug causes less reflex tachycardia. Some examples of phenylakylamine calcium channel blockers include fendiline, gallopamil, and verapamil.

Dihydropyridine vs Nondihydropyridine Calcium Channel Blockers in Tabular Form

Figure 01: Structure of Verapamil

The other type of nondihydropyridine calcium channel blocker is benzothiazepine drugs. These compounds are in an intermediate class between dihydropyridine compounds and phenylalkylamines, depending on the selectivity for vascular calcium channels. In addition to phenylakylamine and benzothiazepine, there are also some other compounds that can act as nondihydropyridine calcium channel blockers.

Calcium channel blockers or CCB are a group of medications that can disrupt the movement of calcium cations through calcium channels. These components are useful in antihypertensive drugs, such as medication used to treat high blood pressure in patients with hypertension. Dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers are molecules that are derived from dihydropyridine while nondihydropyridine calcium channel blockers are molecules derived from phenylakylamine and benzothiazepine.

The key difference between dihydropyridine and nondihydropyridine calcium channel blockers is that dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers act through systemic vascular vasodilation of arteries, whereas nondihydropyridine calcium channel blockers act selectively on the myocardium. In addition, dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers have a moderate selectivity for vascular calcium channels, whereas nondihydropyridine calcium channel blockers have intermediate to low selectivity for vascular calcium channels. Moreover, common examples for dihydropyridine include amlodipine, aranidipine, azelnidipine, barnidipine, benidipine, clevidipine, etc. whereas some examples of phenylakylamine calcium channel blockers include fendiline, gallopamil, and verapamil.

The following infographic summarizes the difference between dihydropyridine and nondihydropyridine calcium channel blockers in tabular form for side by side comparison.

Summary – Dihydropyridine vs Nondihydropyridine Calcium Channel Blockers

Calcium channel blockers or CCB are a group of medications that can disrupt the movement of calcium cations through calcium channels. The key difference between dihydropyridine and nondihydropyridine calcium channel blockers is that dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers act through systemic vascular vasodilation of arteries, whereas nondihydropyridine calcium channel blockers act selectively on the myocardium.