Abstract: The present invention relates to novel carboxamide compounds and their use as a medicament. The carboxamide compounds are inhibitors of calpain (calcium dependant cysteine proteases). The invention therefore also relates to the use of these carboxamide compounds for treating a disorder associated with an elevated calpain activity and to a method for the therapeutic and/or prophylactic treatment by administering an effective amount of at least one of these carboxamide compounds. The carboxamide compounds are compounds of the general formula I in which W—R2 is selected from and R1, R2, R3a, R3b, Y1, Y2, Y3, Y4, X, Q, m, k, Rw and Rw* have the meanings mentioned in the claims, the tautomers thereof and the pharmaceutically suitable salts thereof.