Amlodipine monotherapy in chronic stable angina.

The efficacy and safety of amlodipine was evaluated in 20 patients with stable exertional angina. Patients with > or = 3 anginal attacks per week in the placebo run-in phase were admitted into a 4 weeks active treatment phase. Amlodipine was administered at a starting dose of 5 mg once daily at bed time, which could be adjusted after 2 weeks to 10 mg once daily if the patient continued to have even a single anginal attack/week. Four weeks of treatment with amlodipine produced a significant (p < 0.05) reduction from baseline in both the mean (+/- SE) number of anginal attacks/week (from 13.3 +/- 1.5 to 1.6 +/- 0.5) and the mean (+/- SE) number of isosorbide dinitrate tablets consumed per week (12.1 +/- 1.5 to 2.6 +/- 0.8). Eighty three percent of patients required an increase in dose to 10 mg daily. No significant change in heart rate, blood pressure, ECG and laboratory results were observed. One patient was withdrawn because of deteriorating angina and sinus tachycardia secondary to beta blocker withdrawal. Worsening of ankle odema was reported in 2 (10%) patients, which was tolerated and disappeared on completing therapy. Thus amlodipine is safe and effective when used as monotherapy in the treatment of chronic stable angina.