Calcium antagonists in the management of asthma: breakthrough or ballyhoo?

Research demonstrating the importance of intracellular calcium regulation in each of the pathophysiologic events of asthma has lead to speculation that calcium antagonists may be beneficial in the treatment of reactive airways disease. A plethora of data has been generated on the effects of verapamil, diltiazem, nifedipine, and several investigational agents on experimentally induced asthma, indicating that none of these agents significantly affects resting bronchomotor tone, and their efficacy in preventing bronchospasm is a function of the drug, dose, route of administration and method of bronchoprovocation. Most studies have demonstrated calcium antagonists have only modest and highly variable effects on airway smooth muscle contraction. Additional studies are needed to define the effects on the inflammatory component of airways obstruction, steroid requirements in steroid-dependent patients, and on the alteration of the pharmacodynamics of other agents used for the management of chronic asthma.