The effect of calcium antagonist, nifedipine in exercise-induced asthma.

The effect of nifedipine was studied in fifteen patients with exercise-induced asthma. Nifedipine inhibited the exercise-induced fall in FEV1 almost completely in four patients, offered partial protection in a further nine patients and had no effect in the remaining two patients. It is suggested that mediator release which is dependent on free calcium ions may play an important role in exercise-induced asthma and calcium antagonists may inhibit post-exercise bronchoconstriction by their blocking effect on calcium channels of the mast cells.