Antianginal Efficacy of Nisoldipine in Patients with Unstable Angina Pectoris: Evaluation on Holter ECG

Summary

Eleven patients with unstable angina were selected by the following criteria: presence of anginal attacks at a rate of one per day or more, relief of angina with sublingual nitroglycerin, new or progressive angina of effort or at rest, ischemic ST-segment depression during attacks, and no clinical findings indicative of acute myocardial infarction. The study comprised a control period (1 week) with a placebo and a nisoldipine medication period (1–2 weeks, 20 mg/day, every 12 h) in a single-blind trial. Holter monitoring (24 h) was performed before and after therapy. A positive ST segment depression was defined as ischemic ST segment depression of 0.1 mV or more, lasting for 1 min or more in the trendgram.

The frequency of ST segment depression with chest pain decreased significantly after nisoldipine therapy, and the anginal threshold increased. These results showed the improvement of physical activities of the patients. Therefore, it is suggested nisoldipine is effective in patients with unstable angina for 24 h by administration twice a day.