Calcium antagonists constitute a group of organic compounds with diverse chemical structures. Although their main pharmacodynamic actions are vasodilatation and myocardial depression, they are not uniform in producing these effects. Based on comparison of the potencies in producing negative inotropic, chronotropic and dromotropic effects to the coronary vasodilator potency of individual calcium antagonists determined by use of isolated, blood-perfused papillary muscle, sinoatrial node and atrioventricular node preparations of dogs, calcium antagonists are classified into 2 major groups. The dihydropyridines, nicardipine, nifedipine, nimodipine, nisoldipine, nitrendipine, PN 200-110 (isradipine) and PY 108-068, are generally far more potent in producing coronary vasodilatation than in producing negative inotropic, chronotropic and dromotropic (first-degree atrioventricular block) effects, although there are minor differences among them. The non-dihydropyridine calcium antagonists, verapamil, diltiazem, KB-944, bepridil and MCI-176, are nearly equipotent in producing coronary vasodilatation and a negative dromotropic effect, although all of them are less potent in producing negative inotropy. The non-dihydropyridine calcium antagonists can be further divided into 2 subgroups. Verapamil, diltiazem and KB-944 are nearly equipotent in producing negative dromotropic and chronotropic effects. Bepridil and MCI-176 are less potent in producing negative chronotropy than in producing negative dromotropy.