Final answer:
Calcium channel blockers, including Amlodipine, Diltiazem, and Nifedipine, act to reduce calcium influx in the heart and blood vessel smooth muscles, causing relaxation and dilation, which lower blood pressure.
They are different from positive inotropic agents that increase intracellular calcium to enhance contraction strength.
The correct answer is option 1) Calcium channel blockers decrease the influx of calcium ions into smooth muscle cells of the heart and blood vessels, resulting in relaxation of the muscles and dilation of the blood vessels.
Step-by-step explanation:
Calcium channel blockers are a class of medications that are used to decrease the influx of calcium ions into smooth muscle cells of the heart and blood vessels. By doing this, they result in the relaxation of the muscles and dilation of the blood vessels.
Medications such as Amlodipine, Diltiazem, and Nifedipine are part of this group. The efect of these medications is contrary to agents that act as positive inotropic agents like dopamine and digitalis, which increase the strength of contraction by raising the levels of intracellular calcium.
The action of calcium channel blockers leads to a decrease in peripheral resistance and thus, lower blood pressure. This makes these drugs particularly effective in the treatment of hypertension and other cardiovascular conditions. It's important to note that loo much of these medications can lead to negative effects like bradycardia or even cardiac arrest.
The correct answer is option 1) Calcium channel blockers decrease the influx of calcium ions into smooth muscle cells of the heart and blood vessels, resulting in relaxation of the muscles and dilation of the blood vessels.