Nisoldipine is an orally administered calcium entry blocking drug structurally related to nifedipine. In limited clinical trials it has been shown to be effective and relatively well tolerated in the treatment of patients with chronic stable angina pectoris and mild to moderate essential hypertension. As for all dihydropyridine-calcium antagonists, its major properties include potent peripheral and coronary vasodilation and improvement in myocardial oxygen supply relative to demand. These actions occur without depression of cardiac conduction or left ventricular function. Short term clinical trials have shown nisoldipine to produce both symptomatic and objective improvements in patients with chronic angina of effort and have suggested a benefit in vasospastic angina. A small number of comparative trials indicate that nisoldipine is equally as effective as nifedipine. In addition, in combination with beta-adrenoceptor blockade nisoldipine appears to offer additional benefit compared with beta-blockade alone and is well tolerated. In patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension nisoldipine monotherapy, in 1 or 2 daily doses, has maintained blood pressure control and has also been a useful addition to diuretics and beta-adrenoceptor blocking drugs in patients with poorly controlled disease. Side effects appear to be dose related, generally mild and transient, and are primarily those resulting from potent peripheral vasodilation - headache, flushing and pretibial or ankle oedema. Although studies to date are promising, there are no published long term studies (greater than 1 year) of nisoldipine in comparison with other calcium entry blockers and other drugs currently in clinical use for the treatment of angina pectoris or hypertension. Until such studies are completed the exact place of nisoldipine in the treatment of these diseases remains to be established.