OBJECTIVE: To analyze price and utilization trends for Calcium Channel Blockers (CCB) drugs, and to compare the price difference between brand-name and generic CCB drugs over a specific time interval. METHODS: CCB drugs with an indication for hypertension were selected for this study. The First DataBank® drug files and National Medicaid Pharmacy data were used to calculate the monthly Average Wholesaler Prices (AWP), quarterly prescription use and reimbursement. Descriptive time-series trend analyses were performed to assess price trends and drug utilization patterns. The market shares were calculated as the proportion of total number of prescriptions. RESULTS: The average AWP per daily dose for CCBs included three tiers: the highest with $2 or more per day for Cardizem®, Plendil®, and Procardia XL®, the lowest with $1 or less per day for Isoptin® and verapamil, and middle for Norvasc ® and Cardene®. The generic dilatizem AWP decreased from $0.84 in 1996 to $0.34 in 2004, while its brand Cardizem AWP increased over time. Use of branded drugs (Calan®, Procardia, and Cardizem) decreased while use of generics (verapamil, nifedipine, and diltiazem) increased. The utilization of the dihydropyridine CCBs (e.g. Norvasc®, Procardia®) was about two-fold that of the non-dihydropyridine CCBs in 2004. Total expenditure for brand name drugs increased from $28.87 million per quarter in 1991 to $1.15 billion per quarter in 2004. The market-share of Procardia ® decreased sharply from 64.26% in 1991 to 3.9% in 2001, while Norvasc® increased from 5.78% in 1993 to 73.98 % in 2004. CONCLUSIONS: The generic AWP decreased due to competition, but there was little impact on its brand-name AWP. Increased use of Norvasc® might be associated with its safety profile. Decreased use of brand-name CCBs might be due to Medicaid policy of generic drug use.