Short- and long-term treatment of stable effort angina with nicardipine, a new calcium channel blocker: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised, repeated cross-over study.

This study evaluated 1 year the efficacy of therapy with nicardipine in patients with chronic stable angina pectoris. Twenty-five male patients were entered. After a placebo run-in phase, the patients received nicardipine 30 mg, nicardipine 40 mg, and placebo, three times daily given in random, double-blind manner for 8 weeks. A double-blind, cross-over study comparing nicardipine with placebo was then undertaken. After 5 months of open treatment with nicardipine 90 or 120 mg day-1, patients received either placebo or nicardipine for 3 weeks, each followed by the alternative treatment for an additional 3 weeks and further open-label treatment with nicardipine for another 3-5 months. There were no significant changes in the PR, QRS or QT intervals, or in the QRS pattern during the short-term and long-term studies. There were no significant differences in mean heart rate after nicardipine compared with baseline. During treatment with nicardipine 120 mg day-1, patients reported significantly fewer anginal attacks compared with placebo, and nitroglycerin consumption also decreased. Nicardipine increased treadmill time, time to onset of angina, and time to one mm ST segment depression. These effects were maintained after 6 months of continued nicardipine therapy. Adverse effects were minor and well tolerated and included headache, dizziness, gastrointestinal upset, flushing paraesthesia and pedal oedema. Abrupt withdrawal of nicardipine at the end of the study resulted in a rapid return of the original symptoms but without further deterioration from the baseline measurements. Nicardipine was effective in the treatment of stable effort angina pectoris; this benefit was maintained for the entire year of treatment.