LONG-TERM ANTIANGINAL AND ANTIISCHEMIC EFFECTS OF MIBEFRADIL, THE NEVER T-TYPE CALCIUM-CHANNEL BLOCKER - A MULTICENTER, DOUBLE-BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED, RANDOMIZED COMPARISON WITH SUSTAINED-RELEASE DILTIAZEM

This study compared the efficacy, safety and tolerability of mibefradi l to sustained-release diltiazem in patients with chronic stable angin a pectoris. At week 12, statistically equivalent mean increases in exe rcise tolerance test (Err) duration of >1 minute were observed in both groups. Similar improvements in time to onset of angina and time to p ersistent 1 mm ST-segment depression were also observed with both drug s. Large reductions in heart rate, blood pressure, and rate-pressure p roduct were observed at each stage of the ETT among patients treated w ith mibefradil. Each drug was associated with at least a 70% reduction from baseline in anginal frequency and nitroglycerin consumption. Pat ients maintained on mibefradil during the withdrawal period had signif icant increases in all three ETT variables at week 16 compared with pl acebo. The effectiveness of mibefradil is comparable with sustained-re lease diltiazem in treating chronic stable angina pectoris, although m ibefradil provides greeter reductions in heart rate and cardiac worklo ad.