Ivabradine in combination with beta-blocker reduces symptoms and improves quality of life in elderly patients with stable angina pectoris: age-related results from the ADDITIONS study.

BACKGROUND

Clinical trials have proven the anti-anginal and anti-ischemic efficacy of the pacemaker current inhibitor ivabradine in combination with beta-blockers in patients with stable angina pectoris (AP). This retrospective subgroup analysis of the ADDITIONS study evaluated the effectiveness and tolerability of ivabradine combined with beta-blockers, and its effects on angina symptoms and quality of life in elderly patients ≥ 75 years in everyday practice.

METHODS

In the non-interventional, multicenter, prospective, open-label ADDITIONS study 2330 patients with stable AP of different age groups were treated with a flexible dose of ivabradine twice daily in addition to beta-blockers for 4 months. Heart rate (HR), number of angina attacks, nitrate consumption, tolerance, and quality of life (QoL) were evaluated. A subgroup analysis was performed, focusing on 479 patients (21%) ≥ 75 years.

RESULTS

In these 479 patients ≥ 75 years ivabradine (mean dose 11.61 ± 3.18 mg per day) after 4 months of treatment reduced HR by 19.2 ± 11.6 bpm to 65.4 ± 8.3 bpm. The average number of angina attacks per week was decreased by 1.6 ± 1.8 to 0.4 ± 1.3 and the average consumption of short-acting nitrates per week was reduced by 2.2 ± 3.2 to 0.6 ± 1.8 units (both p < 0.0001). There was a marked shift in Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) grade distribution with most patients (57%) now classified as CCS grade I, and 42% as CCS grades II and III. This was accompanied by an improvement in EQ-5D QoL index to 0.75 ± 0.22 (p < 0.0001). Tolerability of ivabradine treatment was rated by the physicians as “very good/good” for 72%/28% of elderly patients.

CONCLUSIONS

In daily clinical practice, addition of ivabradine to beta-blockers was effective in reducing HR, angina attacks and nitrate consumption in elderly patients (≥ 75 years) with stable angina pectoris. In addition, a marked improvement of CCS symptom scores and QoL was demonstrated. Treatment was generally well tolerated.