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Actually, the use of both drugs aren't limited to the heart. For example, calcium channel blockers also affects the smooth muscles of blood vessels & neurons while beta blockers are also used for cases of performance anxiety and as prophylaxis for migraine cases.
Ca channel blockers' main action is to decrease blood pressure. This drug decreases the force of contraction of the myocardium, a heart muscle, by preventing the increase of Ca levels in the heart muscle cells, thus leading to less contraction and increase in the blood vessel diameter.
Beta blockers act by blocking the action of epinephrine & norepinephrine in the beta receptor in different parts of the body, mainly in the heart. The antihypertensive mechanism this drugs involve reduction in cardiac output. Beta blockers are also used as anti-angina & anti-arrhythmia.
Basically, the main difference is the mechanism of action. Of course, it's for the doctor to decide which drug is applicable to certain cases of hypertension.
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