Calcium antagonists and atherosclerosis. Experimental evidence.

Accumulation of cholesterol and calcium is the hallmark of atherosclerosis. Ca2+ antagonists lessen the severity of experimentally induced atherosclerosis in a variety of animal models, including hypercholesterolaemic animals. They also reduce cholesterol accumulation in the arterial wall, but without affecting plasma lipids. This review briefly discusses in vitro and in vivo experimental studies on the anti-atherosclerotic properties of Ca2+ antagonists and outlines mechanisms by which these compounds affect cellular lipid metabolism.