A new generation of calcium antagonists and their role in atherosclerosis.

A new generation of calcium antagonists is being developed in an attempt to improve the already widespread therapeutic applications of this class of drugs. In this report the effect of these new calcium antagonists on those processes involved in atherogenesis that occur in the cellular component of the arterial wall is reviewed. The new generation of calcium antagonists appears to possess many of the antiatherosclerotic properties demonstrated by their prototypes. Moreover, these new compounds may have unique mechanisms of action and may be more potent than their first-generation counterparts.