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Efficacy of slow-release nifedipine on ischemic attacks in patients with variant angina

  • Nifedipine, Cardioprotection, and Ischemic Heart Disease
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Summary

We examined the effects of slow-release nifedipine on ischemic attacks in eight patients with variant angina. The study period was divided into four parts: placebo I period; nifedipine I period, when 20-mg slow-release nifedipine was given once a day at 10:00 p.m.; placebo II period; and nifedipine II period, when 20-mg slow-release nifedipine was given twice a day at 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Each period consisted of 4 days, and 48-hour Holter monitoring was done at the end of each period. There was a significant decrease in the number of the episodes per 48 hours during the nifedipine I and nifedipine II periods as compared with the placebo I period (2.4±2.2 vs. 25.7±12.3, p<0.01; and 0.1±0.1 vs. 25.7±12.3, p<0.01, respectively). The total duration of episodes of ST-segment elevation per 48 hours decreased significantly during the nifedipine I period and the nifedipine II period as compared with the placebo I period (2.4±2.2 vs. 87.6±30.2 minutes, p<0.01; and 0.3±0.3 vs. 87.6±30.2 minutes, p<0.01, respectively). The total duration of the episodes also decreased significantly during the nifedipine II period as compared with the placebo II period (0.3±0.3 vs. 31.6±20.1 minutes, p<0.05).

We concluded that 20-mg slow-release nifedipine given once a day at 10:00 p.m., or twice a day at 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., is highly effective in suppressing ischemic episodes in patients with variant angina.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Cardiology, Kumamoto University Medical School, 1-1-1 Honjo, Kumamoto City, 860, Kumamoto, Japan

    Hirofumi Yasue MD & Yasuhiro Morikami

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  1. Hirofumi Yasue MD
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  2. Yasuhiro Morikami
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Yasue, H., Morikami, Y. Efficacy of slow-release nifedipine on ischemic attacks in patients with variant angina. Cardiovasc Drug Ther 4 (Suppl 5), 915–918 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02018292

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