Clinical Drug Experience Knowledgebase

Bepridil is a calcium channel blocker that has well characterized anti-anginal properties and known but poorly characterized type 1 anti-arrhythmic and anti-hypertensive properties. It has inhibitory effects on both the slow calcium and fast sodium inward currents in myocardial and vascular smooth muscle, interferes with calcium binding to calmodulin, and blocks both voltage and receptor operated calcium channels. It is used to treat hypertension (high blood pressure), angina (chest pain), sustained atrial fibrillation and tachyarrhythmia. The most common side effects were upper gastrointestinal complaints (nausea, dyspepsia or GI distress), diarrhea, dizziness, asthenia and nervousness. Certain drugs could increase the likelihood of potentially serious adverse effects with bepridil hydrochloride. In general, these are drugs that have one or more pharmacologic activities similar to bepridil hydrochloride, including anti-arrhythmic agents such as quinidine and procainamide, cardiac glycosides and tricyclic anti-depressants. Anti-arrhythmics and tricyclic anti-depressants could exaggerate the prolongation of the QT interval observed with bepridil hydrochloride. Cardiac glycosides could exaggerate the depression of AV nodal conduction observed with bepridil hydrochloride.   ^NCATS