Effects of calcium antagonists on lipids and atherosclerosis.

The arterial accumulation of cholesterol and calcium is a hallmark of atherosclerosis. Calcium antagonists (CAs) lessen the severity of experimentally induced atherosclerosis in cholesterol-fed animals. The reduction of aortic cholesterol is one of the most striking findings. This effect is achieved without a reduction of plasma lipid or blood pressure, and is probably related to an interference of CAs with lipid metabolism in the arterial wall. To what extent these properties of CAs are due to their ability to block calcium channels still remains to be addressed. This report briefly discusses the available in vivo and in vitro evidence for the antiatherosclerotic properties of CAs, and outlines the possible mechanisms by which these compounds affect cellular lipid metabolism.