Pharmacology: Pharmacodynamics: Mechanism of Action: Amlodipine is a dihydropyridine calcium-channel blocker. Calcium-channel blockers, also known as calcium antagonists, calcium-entry blockers, and slow-channel blockers, inhibit the cellular influx of calcium which is responsible for maintenance of the plateau phase of the action potential. Thus calcium-channel blockers primarily affect tissues in which depolarisation is dependent upon calcium rather than sodium influx, and these include vascular smooth muscle, myocardial cells, and cells within the sino-atrial (SA) and atrioventricular (AV) nodes. The main actions of the calcium-channel blockers include dilatation of coronary and peripheral arteries and arterioles, with little or no effect on venous tone, a negative inotropic action, reduction of heart rate, and slowing of AV conduction.
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