Towards evidence-based emergency medicine: best BETs from the Manchester Royal Infirmary. BET 4: Alpha blockers v calcium blockers to increase spontaneous passage of renal calculi.

A short cut review was carried out to establish the administration of an alpha-1 receptor antagonist or a calcium channel blocker would facilitate the most rapid and successful expulsion of a stone from a patient with uncomplicated renal colic. 597 articles were found using the reported search, of which five trials were selected as providing the best evidence to answer this question. The authors, date and country of publication, patient group studied, study type, relevant outcomes, results and study weaknesses of these papers are tabulated. It is concluded that in a patient with an uncomplicated ureteric calculus tamsulosin is more effective than nifedipine in promoting speedy and successful expulsion of the stone.