[The efficacy and safety of slow-release nicardipine vs nifedipine in angina].

This controlled, double-blind, completely randomized study assessed the efficacy and safety of nicardipine and nifedipine, both in slow-release formulations, in patients with unstable angina. Thirty patients (28 M, 2F) were included in the final analysis, mean age 56.5 +/- 9.1 years (SD), mean weight 73.5 +/- 9.2 kg, mean height 171.5 +/- 6.5 cm, all with unstable angina. Nicardipine was given at a daily dosage of 80-120 mg, and nifedipine 40-60 mg, for up to one month. At the end of treatment with nicardipine supine systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP) dropped respectively 7.7% and 5.5% at 8 am and 8.6% and 7.1% at 8 pm. Nifedipine reduced SBP and DBP by respectively 6.5% and 13.1% at 8 am and 5.3% and 9.4% at 8 pm. There was no clinical or statistical difference between the treatments. Heart rate did not change appreciably during either treatment. On completion of nicardipine treatment, 87.5% of patients had suffered no angina attacks, compared with 66.7% for nifedipine. The remaining 12.5% of patients treated with nicardipine presented only one mild angina attack per day, while the other 33.3% of the nifedipine patients had one moderate angina attack per day. No untoward effects were reported with nicardipine; one patient receiving nifedipine presented cardiopalmus and another complained of headache. These results indicate that nicardipine is at least as safe and effective as nifedipine in the treatment of unstable angina.