How European cardiologists perceive the role of calcium antagonists in the treatment of stable angina.

Some 100 European cardiologists discussed calcium antagonists' role in the management of stable angina. Sixty-two percent of those involved used calcium antagonists rather than beta-blockers as first line therapy; 46% were prepared to use calcium antagonists in patients who had had a myocardial infarction more than 6 months previously. Only one tenth would use calcium antagonists in angina patients with left ventricular dysfunction. There was a broad preference for the use of heart rate-moderating calcium antagonists in most forms of stable angina. The discussions also underlined the diagnostic importance of angiography, exercise testing and lipid profile analysis.