Antianginal efficacy of a new nitroglycerin patch.

Sixteen patients with chronic, stable exercise-induced angina pectoris were studied during acute and sustained therapy with a new nitroglycerin (GTN) patch*. This patch provides a biphasic GTN release profile with therapeutic GTN plasma concentrations developing soon after application and persisting for 12h, but with low plasma concentrations during the remainder of the 24h period. This profile of GTN release was designed to avoid nitrate tolerance by providing a low nitrate period for substantial periods during each 24-h application period. In a placebo-controlled double-blind study, two GTN patches each releasing 7.5 mg GTN were applied. The active patches induced a significant decrease in systolic blood pressure and an increase in heart rate during initial application. Exercise duration to the end-point of moderate angina (P2) was increased at 4 and 8h during acute therapy and the changes during sustained therapy were similar. Thus, the Biophase GTN patch has been shown to improve exercise performance during acute therapy and, more importantly, to maintain this effect during sustained once-daily therapy.