EFFICACY AND TOLERABILITY OF AMLODIPINE IN PATIENTS WITH STABLE ANGINA-PECTORIS - RESULTS OF A MULTICENTER STUDY

The efficacy and tolerability of amlodipine 5 to 10mg once daily was a ssessed in a noncomparative multicentre study that recruited 2908 pati ents with stable exertional angina pectoris. 1995 patients were evalua ted for efficacy and the entire study population was evaluated for tol erability. After 12 weeks of treatment, amlodipine was associated with an increase in exercise tolerance and a delay in the onset of angina and ST depression during ergometric stress testing. In 818 patients, c hest pain disappeared at the end of the study period. Heart rate was e ssentially unaffected by treatment, although significant reductions in mean arterial blood pressure were observed in a proportion of patient s with hypertension. The incidence of adverse events was low and a hig h percentage of patients completed treatment. Thus, amlodipine appears to be a valid and well tolerated therapeutic option for the treatment of patients with stable angina pectoris.