Effects of nipradilol, a new beta-blocking agent with vasodilating properties, on exercise tolerance in patients with stable effort angina: a double-blind study.

The effects of nipradilol, a new beta-blocking agent with vasodilating properties, on exercise tolerance were examined in eight patients with stable effort angina. Symptom-limited treadmill tests were performed two hours after administration of oral nipradilol (9 mg) or placebo in a double-blind manner. Exercise time to the onset of angina was significantly longer after nipradilol than after placebo (6.8 +/- 2.5 min versus 5.0 +/- 1.2 min, P less than 0.05). Exercise duration after nipradilol was not statistically different from that after 0.3 mg of sublingual nitroglycerin (7.2 +/- 1.9 min). Nipradilol significantly decreased heart rate both at rest and during exercise (P less than 0.01). Systolic blood pressure at rest did not change after nipradilol. However, an increase in systolic blood pressure during exercise was inhibited by nipradilol. The pressure rate product was significantly lower after nipradilol than after placebo. It is concluded that nipradilol improves exercise tolerance in patients with stable effort angina by decreasing the myocardial oxygen consumption during exercise.