Final answer:
Non-dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers, which include drugs like Verapamil and Diltiazem, are used to treat cardiovascular conditions by inhibiting calcium influx into heart and smooth muscle cells, reducing heart rate and contractility.
Step-by-step explanation:
Non-dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers are a class of medications used to treat various cardiovascular conditions such as hypertension, angina, and some types of arrhythmias. These medications work by inhibiting the influx of calcium ions into cardiac and smooth muscle cells, leading to relaxation and dilation of blood vessels, as well as a reduction in heart rate and contractility. Some well-known non-dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers include Verapamil (Calan, Verelan) and Diltiazem (Cardizem, Tiazac). These drugs differ from dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers in that they have a more pronounced effect on the heart than on blood vessels, and they also have negative inotropic effects, meaning they decrease the force of the heart's contraction.