title: Age-related changes of antianginal effects of verapamil in patients with stable effort angina. A medium term randomized double-blind placebo controlled trial.
abstract: Our study evaluated the effects of verapamil in elderly patients with stable effort angina using a medium-term double-blind placebo-controlled protocol. Thirty-nine consecutive patients, 23 middle-age patients (50 +/- 6 years; range 38-60 years) and 16 elderly patients (66 +/- 2 years; range 65-70 years) with exertional angina were chosen. After a run-in period, both groups received treatment with either placebo or verapamil--360 mg daily--for 4 weeks. During treatment, weekly angina frequency and nitroglycerin consumption were significantly reduced in both groups. Verapamil significantly decreased the rate-pressure product at rest in elderly patients and in both groups at submaximal exercise, due to a reduction in heart rate in both groups and to a more marked decrease in arterial pressure in older patients. At peak exercise, the rate-pressure product was unchanged in both groups after verapamil, while exercise capacity showed a significant improvement in the middle-aged, and ST segment depression was reduced in both groups. After verapamil, 30% of middle-aged patients and 44% of elderly patients had to stop exercising because of angina. Side effects were rare and no drop-out was recorded. Verapamil exerted its antianginal action by means of a decrease in myocardial oxygen consumption at rest and at submaximal exercise in the elderly, while only at submaximal exercise in the middle-aged. Therefore verapamil at the dose of 360 mg daily proved an effective antianginal drug with a safe effect profile also in elderly patients.
authors.affiliation: Fondazione Clinica del Lavoro, IRCCS, Divisione di Cardiologia, Centro Medico di Campoli del Monte Taburno (BN).
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Acanfora
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Caprio
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Palma
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lirato
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parlati
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Furgi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Guerra
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Odierna
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nicolino
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rengo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects*; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000187:drug effects; D014700:Verapamil / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014700:Verapamil