Clinical and angiographic effects of chronic calcium channel blocker therapy continued beyond first postoperative year in patients with radial arterygrafts - Results of a prospective randomized investigation

Background-This study was conceived to elucidate the clinical and angiograp hic effects of chronic calcium channel blocker therapy (CCCBT) continued af ter the first postoperative year in patients in whom the radial artery (RA) was used for myocardial revascularization. Methods and Results-Patients who received RA grafts at our institution and who at I year had no scintigraphic evidence of ischemia in the RA territory or angiographic evidence of RA malfunction (n=120) were randomly assigned to continue (n=63) or suspend (n=57) the CCCBT with diltiazem (120 mg/d). A fter 5 years, all patients were reassessed clinically and by stress myocard ial scintigraphy, and 87 of them (45 from the continued group that continue d CCCBT and 42 from the group that suspended CCCBT) were restudied angiogra phically. No differences regarding either the clinical and scintigraphic re sults or the RA angiographic status were demonstrated between the 2 groups. Conclusions-After the first postoperative year, the continuation of CCCBT d oes not affect RA graft patency or clinical and scintigraphic results.