The recent discovery of numerous new "calcium inhibiting" molecules and the multiplicity of their indications in cardiology and in other specialties have made it necessary to clarify their position in the armory of medical treatments in cardiology and their associations with other treatments. Before describing the various protocols for the use of calcium channel inhibitors, the article describes the basic factors involved in the choice of the most appropriate calcium channel inhibitor on the basis of their mechanisms of action, the tissue selectivity, the pharmacokinetic profile and the formulations available.