K. Andersen et al., NUCLEOSIDE TRANSPORT INHIBITION BY DRAFLAZINE IN UNSTABLE CORONARY-DISEASE, European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 51(1), 1996, pp. 7-13
Objectives In a randomised, double-blind, placebo controlled study, we
evaluated the tolerability and safety of draflazine, a nucleoside tra
nsport inhibitor, in the treatment of patients with unstable angina an
d non-Q-wave infarction.Methods Twenty-one patients were randomised to
treatment with draflazine 3.5 mg or matching placebo given as an IV i
nfusion and haemodynamic and symptomatic tolerability were investigate
d. Myocardial ischaemia was evaluated by means of vectorcardiography a
nd blood analysis of the MB fraction of creatine kinase.Results The st
udy drug was well tolerated by all patients and it did not cause any a
dverse haemodynamic effects, nor other serious adverse events. Three p
atients in the placebo group reported five adverse events, as compared
to a single adverse event in the draflazine group. Cardiovascular eve
nts were detected in 7 patients in the placebo group and in 5 patients
receiving draflazine. The mean duration of chest pain during the 24 h
our observation period was 91.4 min in the placebo group compared to 7
5.5 min in draflazine treated patients. Neither the vectorcardiographi
c nor biochemical measures of ischaemia differed between treatment gro
ups. Conclusion Nucleoside transport inhibition by draflazine was well
tolerated by patients with unstable coronary disease. It seems to be
a promising method of adenosine enhancement in acute myocardial ischae
mia. The potential cardioprotective effect of the drug needs further e
valuation in larger trials.