Potassium channel openers: clinical applications in ischemic heart disease--overview of clinical efficacy of nicorandil.

Nicorandil is a balanced arterial and venodilator that may also possess cardioprotective properties via its activation of ATP-sensitive potassium channels. It has a number of beneficial hemodynamic effects and has been shown to be effective in treating angina with similar efficacy as the currently available antianginal agents. In addition, it may have useful effects in unstable and variant angina. In this review we examine the hemodynamic effects of nicorandil and discuss the currently available data on its clinical efficacy, both in isolation and in comparison with other agents.