Has the controversy over the use of calcium channel blockers in coronary artery disease been resolved?

Calcium channel blockers are used in the treatment of hypertension and angina. The negative findings on cardiovascular outcomes with some short-acting formulations of calcium channel blockers, described in the 1990s, have led to a much reduced use of calcium channel blockers in general. A Coronary disease Trial Investigating Outcome with Nifedipine (ACTION) investigated the effects of the long-acting gastrointestinal therapeutic system (GITS) formulation of nifedipine in patients with stable symptomatic coronary artery disease. There was less new overt heart failure in the nifedipine GITS group (117 of 3825 patients) than in the placebo group (158 of 3840), and coronary angiography and coronary bypass surgery were also lower in the nifedipine GITS than placebo group. Peripheral revascularisation was slightly higher in the nifedipine GITS (187/3825) than the placebo group (144/3840). The Comparison of Amlodipine versus Enalapril to Limit Occurrences of Thrombosis (CAMELOT) trial compared a calcium channel blocker (amlodipine) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (enalapril) in normotensive patients with coronary artery disease. The primary outcome of cardiovascular events occurred in 151 (23.1%), 110 (16.6%) and 136 (20.2%) of placebo, amlodipine and enalapril patients, respectively, with the only significant difference being a reduction with amlodipine compared with placebo. This reduction mainly represented a reduction in coronary revascularisation and hospitalisation for angina with amlodipine compared with placebo. These results suggest that calcium channel blockers are safe and beneficial in the treatment of coronary artery disease