Effect of calcium channel blocker amlodipine on the intimal-medial thickness of carotid arterial wall in type 2 diabetes

Although several reports have suggested that calcium channel blockers may inhibit progression of atherosclerosis in animals, it is still controversial whether they have any clinically significant antiatherogenic action in humans. The measurement of intimal-medial thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery by B-mode ultrasound technique has been recognized as a powerful and noninvasive method to evaluate early atherosclerotic lesions. We investigated the effect of treatment with amlodipine, a powerful calcium channel blocker, on IMT. Twenty-two hypertensive patients with type 2 diabetes were enrolled in a prospective open study. An amlodipine group (amlodipine, 5 mg; n = 11) and a control group receiving angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (n = 11) were studied before and 6 months after treatment. Amlodipine treatment caused a significant decrease in IMT compared with control(-0.052 +/- 0.017 vs. 0.011 +/- 0.021 mm; p < 0.05). Although the exact mechanisms remain to be elucidated, our preliminary result suggests that amlodipine has an antiatherogenic action in type 2 diabetes.