The clinical usefulness of calcium entry-blockers for the treatment of high blood pressure is related to their capacity to act upon the primary hemodynamic derangement in hypertension: the increased peripheral vascular resistance. They can be used alone or in combination with other antihypertensive agents for the treatment of various forms of hypertensive disease. The calcium entry-blockers appear to be the most useful agents for the treatment of hypertension in the elderly and for the treatment of hypertension associated with ischemic heart disease, pulmonary obstructive disease, peripheral vascular disease, and supraventricular arrhythmias. They are effective in reducing blood pressure in pregnancy-associated hypertension and must be considered as first-line therapy for the treatment of hypertensive crisis.