According to background information in the article, chronic angina is a debilitating illness affecting at least 6.6 million U.S. adults. Patients report limitation of their work and other activities 2 to 3 times more frequently than what is reported by the general population. Despite myocardial revascularization, done largely to prevent angina, and antianginal drugs, up to 26 percent of patients still experience angina attacks.

Bernard R. Chaitman, M.D., of St. Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, and colleagues conducted a study to determine whether ranolazine (currently under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration) improves the total exercise time of patients who have symptoms of chronic angina and who experience angina and ischemia at low workloads despite taking standard doses of the other antianginal drugs such as atenolol, amlodipine, or diltiazem.

The study, a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial, included 823 adult patients with symptomatic chronic angina who were randomly assigned to receive placebo or 1 of 2 doses of ranolazine. Patients treated at the 118 participating out-patient practice settings in several countries were enrolled in the Combined Assessment of Ranolazine In Stable Angina (CARISA) trial from July 1999 to August 2001 and were followed up through October 31, 2002.

The patients received twice daily placebo or 750 mg or 1000 mg of ranolazine. Treadmill exercise at 12 hours ("trough", or lowest levels of the drug in the bloodstream) and 4 hours (peak, highest levels of the drug in the bloodstream) after dosing was assessed after 2, 6, and 12 weeks of treatment.

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Contact: Joe Muehlenkamp
314-977-8015
JAMA and Archives Journals
20-Jan-2004