[Alinidine in multi-vessel coronary disease: reduction of stress-induced ischemic reaction].

Ten patients suffering from an angiographically documented coronary two- or three-vessel disease were examined to evaluate the effects of the specific bradycardiac agent alinidine during a bicycle stress test. Hemodynamic and electrocardiographic parameters were compared before and after an intravenous application of 30 mg of the substance. The alinidine plasma levels 30 min after the injection were 160.6 +/- 22.5 ng/ml) (mean +/- SEM). Alinidine significantly (p less than 0.05) reduced the resting levels of heart rate (8.5%), double product (10.3%), myocardial oxygen consumption (9.1%), and cardiac output (9.0%). During exercise, significantly less ST-segment depression (p less than 0.001) in the EKG was observed after alinidine application in nine out of 10 patients, and the rise of pulmonary artery pressure was significantly reduced (34.7 vs 38.1 mm Hg, mean p less than 0.05). However, alinidine had no effect on the maximum heart rate at the end of exercise. We, therefore, assume that the substance has additional anti-ischemic properties.