Pharmacologic and pharmacokinetic profile of mibefradil, a T- and L-type calcium channel antagonist

Mibefradil is a recently introduced calcium antagonist that, as a tetralol derivative, is chemically distinct from previous calcium antagonists. This article will review pertinent results from in vitro, animal, and clinical investigations to report the pharmacologic properties that distinguish mibefradil from all of the calcium channel antagonists in use today, all of which operate on the ''L-type'' calcium channel. Mibefradil's pharmacokinetic profile indicates it can be used as a once-daily oral treatment for hypertension and chronic stable angina pectoris. (C) 1997 by Excerpta Medica, Inc.