title: Value of the addition of amlodipine to atenolol in patients with angina pectoris despite adequate beta blockade.
abstract: Anginal patients who remain symptomatic despite optimally dosed beta blockade may also be given dihydropyridine calcium antagonists. This treatment regimen was examined in a double-blind parallel, randomized, controlled study in 147 patients with angina and positive bicycle exercise tests despite optimal beta blockade with atenolol (heart rate at rest <60 beats/min). Patients were randomized to atenolol and/or placebo (control), and atenolol and/or amlodipine. The main outcome measurement was exercise tolerance after 8 weeks compared with baseline. After 8 weeks, no significant differences in time to 0.1-mV ST-segment depression, time to chest pain, and time to end of exercise were observed. The number of patients with chest pain during exercise decreased significantly in the amlodipine group (p = 0.04 vs controls). The subgroup of patients with an early (<6 minutes) onset of chest pain at baseline showed a significant increase in time to chest pain after amlodipine (p = 0.0001 vs controls). In the amlodipine group, ST depression and rate-pressure product at submaximum comparable workload decreased to 0.4 mm (0.56) (p = 0.03 vs controls) and 1.223 (2.652) beats/ min x mm Hg (p = 0.01 vs controls). The number of patients in each group with adverse events was not different. The addition of amlodipine to the treatment of patients with myocardial ischemia, despite optimal beta blockade, is well tolerated and may lead to improvement in symptomatic anginal patients, who have a rapid onset of exercise-induced ischemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Dunselman
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: van Kempen
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Bouwens
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Holwerda
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Herweijer
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Bernink
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017311:Amlodipine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001262:Atenolol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects; D005080:Exercise Test; D017079:Exercise Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012449:Safety; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D017311:Amlodipine; D001262:Atenolol