title: Nifedipine GITS versus diltiazem in chronic stable angina: a randomised multicentre study.
abstract: In order to compare the efficacy of nifedipine gastrointestinal therapeutic system (GITS) with diltiazem, 99 patients with chronic stable angina were studied in a parallel-group randomised trial. According to the results of the two exercise tolerance tests (ETTs) performed during the placebo run-in, patients were divided into a fixed threshold group if the variability in time to 1 mm ST-segment depression was 20%, or a variable threshold group if it was higher. Efficacy was assessed by comparing the time to 1 mm ST-depression on a bicycle ETT after 4 weeks of treatment, adjusting for the baseline value. The adjusted means were 7.44 min for nifedipine GITS and 7.68 min for diltiazem; the difference was -0.24 min, with a lower 90% confidence limit of -0.90, which is within the stated interval for equivalence. The same result was confirmed by the 'intention-to-treat' analysis, and comparable results were obtained both in fixed and in variable threshold groups. The incidence of side effects was 12% with nifedipine GITS and 8.2% with diltiazem. Nifedipine GITS and diltiazem were found to be equally effective in increasing exercise tolerance in chronic stable angina patients.
authors.affiliation: Canedra e Divisione Clinicizzata di Cardiologia, Universita di Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zanolla
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Franceschini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ochan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amigoni
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zardini
mesh_terms: D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004110:Diltiazem / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D004110:Diltiazem; D009543:Nifedipine