Side Effects Of Calcium Channel Blockers

Lightheadedness And Dizziness

An individual being treated with calcium channel blockers may experience lightheadedness and dizziness. The blood vessels in an affected individual's body expand and relax when calcium is unable to enter the cells that make up their lining and the muscle tissue of the heart. The electrical signals that trigger the contractions of the heart muscle do not move as quickly without the help of calcium. Therefore, calcium channel blockers are effective at lowering blood pressure and heart rate. Because an affected individual's body is not used to lower blood pressure, the physiological effects of a blood pressure drop may be more apparent when adjusting to the effects of calcium channel blockers. Low blood pressure can cause a reduction in the supply of oxygenated blood to an individual's brain, which is known to produce symptoms of dizziness and lightheadedness. Dizziness and lightheadedness that occur as a side effect of calcium channel blockers may be persistent or may dissipate after the first several weeks of taking the medication.

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Leg And Feet Swelling

An individual may experience leg and feet swelling as a result of their long term treatment with calcium channel blockers. Leg and feet swelling in such circumstances can be attributed to fluid pooling in the limbs, otherwise known as peripheral edema. Peripheral edema occurs in patients who take calcium channel blockers because of the alterations the medication precipitates in their arterial pressure. Pressure in the small arteries and venous circulation must match one other to prevent the inappropriate settling of fluid in the interstitial compartments. However, the mechanism of calcium channel blockers is known to produce an imbalance between the arterial capillary pressure and venous circulation. This imbalance allows for fluids to diffuse out of the small capillaries and begin to accumulate in the affected individual's interstitial areas. Swelling in the legs and feet due to calcium channel blocker precipitated peripheral edema has no association with increased retention of water in the body.

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