CALAN SUMMARY
CALAN (verapamil HCl) is a calcium ion influx inhibitor (slow-channel blocker or calcium ion antagonist) available for oral administration in film-coated tablets containing 40 mg, 80 mg, or 120 mg of verapamil hydrochloride.
CALAN tablets are indicated for the treatment of the following:
Angina
- Angina at rest including:
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Vasospastic (Prinzmetal's variant) angina
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Unstable (crescendo, pre-infarction) angina
Chronic stable angina (classic effort-associated angina)
Arrhythmias
- In association with digitalis for the control of ventricular rate at rest and during stress in patients with chronic atrial flutter and/or atrial fibrillation (see
WARNINGS: Accessory bypass tract)
- Prophylaxis of repetitive paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia
Essential hypertension
CALAN is indicated for the treatment of hypertension, to lower blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk of fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events, primarily strokes and myocardial infarctions. These benefits have been seen in controlled trials of antihypertensive drugs from a wide variety of pharmacologic classes including this drug.
Control of high blood pressure should be part of comprehensive cardiovascular risk management, including, as appropriate, lipid control, diabetes management, antithrombotic therapy, smoking cessation, exercise, and limited sodium intake. Many patients will require more than one drug to achieve blood pressure goals. For specific advice on goals and management, see published guidelines, such as those of the National High Blood Pressure Education Program's Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC).
Numerous antihypertensive drugs, from a variety of pharmacologic classes and with different mechanisms of action, have been shown in randomized controlled trials to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, and it can be concluded that it is blood pressure reduction, and not some other pharmacologic property of the drugs, that is largely responsible for those benefits. The largest and most consistent cardiovascular outcome benefit has been a reduction in the risk of stroke, but reductions in myocardial infarction and cardiovascular mortality also have been seen regularly.
Elevated systolic or diastolic pressure causes increased cardiovascular risk, and the absolute risk increase per mmHg is greater at higher blood pressures, so that even modest reductions of severe hypertension can provide substantial benefit. Relative risk reduction from blood pressure reduction is similar across populations with varying absolute risk, so the absolute benefit is greater in patients who are at higher risk independent of their hypertension (for example, patients with diabetes or hyperlipidemia), and such patients would be expected to benefit from more aggressive treatment to a lower blood pressure goal.
Some antihypertensive drugs have smaller blood pressure effects (as monotherapy) in black patients, and many antihypertensive drugs have additional approved indications and effects (e.g., on angina, heart failure, or diabetic kidney disease). These considerations may guide selection of therapy.
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NEWS HIGHLIGHTS
Published Studies Related to Calan (Verapamil)
Need for prophylactic application of verapamil in transradial coronary
procedures: a randomized trial. The VITRIOL (is Verapamil In TransRadial
Interventions OmittabLe?) trial. [2014] CONCLUSIONS: The preventive use of verapamil may be unnecessary for transradial
Identifying iatrogenic depression using confirmatory factor analysis of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale in patients prescribed a verapamil-sustained-release-led or atenolol-led hypertension treatment strategy. [2011.11.29] BACKGROUND: beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers are highly effective medications indicated for treatment and prevention of hypertension. However, the literature regarding the potential depressive effects of beta-blockers and calcium channel blockers is equivocal regarding whether one or both are associated with depression. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether self-reported depressive symptoms of older persons with hypertension and coronary artery disease and who were randomly assigned to a verapamil-sustained-release-led (Ve-led) or atenolol-led (At-led) hypertension treatment strategy were similar using confirmatory factor analytical models of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)... CONCLUSIONS: The domains indicating less happiness and more depressive symptoms were most likely to be unfavorably impacted by the At-led treatment strategy. Given a choice between these equally effective high blood pressure treatment strategies, it may be prudent to use the Ve-led strategy. This is especially true if the risk of the occurrence of a mood-related side effect of the beta-blocker outweighs its other benefits in comparison. Copyright (c) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Nonlinear pharmacokinetics of oral quinidine and verapamil in healthy subjects: a clinical microdosing study. [2011.08] Microdosing studies are effective in enabling the early identification of the pharmacokinetic properties of compounds administered to humans. However, the nonlinearity of the pharmacokinetics between microdose and therapeutic dose, attributable to the saturation of metabolic enzymes and transporters, is a major concern.
Trandolapril, but not verapamil nor their association, restores the physiological renal hemodynamic response to adrenergic activation in essential hypertension. [2011.06] The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of antihypertensive drugs on renal hemodynamics in hypertensive patients during an adrenergic activation by mental stress (MS), which induces renal vasoconstriction in healthy subjects. Renal hemodynamics was assessed twice in 30 middle-aged essential hypertensive patients (57+/-6 years)-after 15 days of pharmacological wash-out and after 15 days of treatment with Trandolapril (T, 4 mg, n=10), Verapamil (V, 240 mg, n=10), or both (T 2 mg+V 180 mg, n=10)...
The relative efficacy of adenosine versus verapamil for the treatment of stable paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia in adults: a meta-analysis. [2011.06] OBJECTIVE: Verapamil and adenosine are the most common agents used to treat paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT). We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the relative effectiveness of these drugs and to examine their respective adverse effect profiles... CONCLUSION: Adenosine and verapamil have similar efficacy in treating PSVT. Adenosine has a higher rate of minor adverse effects, and of overall adverse effects, whereas verapamil has a higher rate of causing hypotension. A decision between the two agents should be made on a case-by-case basis and ideally involve informed discussion with the patient where appropriate.
Clinical Trials Related to Calan (Verapamil)
Verapamil as Therapy for Children and Young Adults With Dravet Syndrome [Completed]
This study will assess how well the drug verapamil can improve control of seizures and
dysautonomia symptoms in children and young adults diagnosed with Dravet syndrome. The
safety of verapamil when given with all concomitant medications will also be assessed.
Study Investigating the Pharmacokinetic Interaction Between INX-08189 and Verapamil HCL ER in Healthy Volunteers [Completed]
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the potential for a pharmacokinetic (PK) drug-drug
interaction between INX-08189 and extended release verapamil hydrochloride (verapamil HCL
ER).
Superselective Administration of VErapamil During Recanalization in Acute Ischemic Stroke [Recruiting]
The purpose of this study is to determine whether super-selective intra-arterial
administration of verapamil immediately following successful intra-arterial thrombolysis is
safe as a potential neuroprotective agent. Standard procedures are cerebral angiography and
intra-arterial thrombolysis (intra-arterial administration of tPA and/or mechanical
thrombectomy). Experimental procedure is superselective injection of verapamil
intra-arterially.
Bioequivalence Study Of Verapamil [Completed]
The purpose of this study is to demonstrate bioequivalence of single doses of two verapamil
formulations
Verapamil vs. Sertraline for Vestibular Migraine & Chronic Subjective Dizziness [Completed]
Vestibular migraine (VM) and chronic subjective dizziness (CSD) commonly cause vertigo,
unsteadiness and dizziness. Clinical investigators are studying these illnesses to
understand them better. VM and CSD occur together in about 1/3 of patients. That makes it
hard to diagnose them accurately and decide what treatments to use. As a result, doctors
and patients may be confused about these diagnoses. The goal of this study was use two
different medications to tease apart the symptoms of VM and CSD.
Patients who have VM and CSD together were given either verapamil or sertraline for 12
weeks. These medications are used to treat VM and CSD, though they are not approved for this
purpose. Verapamil is believed to have stronger effects on symptoms of VM. Sertraline is
believed to have stronger effects on symptoms of CSD. By comparing the responses of patients
to these two medications, the researchers hoped to learn more about the key features of VM
and CSD.
Reports of Suspected Calan (Verapamil) Side Effects
Completed Suicide (31),
Intentional Overdose (15),
Headache (11),
Somnolence (11),
Medication Error (11),
Dizziness (10),
Malaise (9),
Migraine (9),
Drug Ineffective (8),
Nausea (8), more >>
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Page last updated: 2014-11-30
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