title: Efficacy of trimetazidine on functional capacity in symptomatic patients with stable exertional angina--the VASCO-angina study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Trimetazidine (TMZ) is a metabolic agent of proven efficacy in improving myocardial ischemia and angina. VASCO, a randomised double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial, assessed anti-anginal efficacy and safety of standard and high dose of modified-release TMZ (70 mg/d and 140 mg/d) in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with chronic ischemic heart disease receiving background atenolol 50mg/d on exercise test parameters. The VASCO-angina study assessed the efficacy of the two doses of TMZ on total exercise duration (TED) and time to 1-mm ST segment depression (T1), in symptomatic patients with chronic stable angina receiving background atenolol treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the all cohort of chronic stable angina patients TMZ significantly improved TED compared to baseline and to placebo. Both doses of TMZ significantly increased TED (p=0.0044 and p=0.0338 for TMZ 140 mg/d and TMZ 70 mg/d, respectively). A greater TED improvement was observed in TMZ 140 mg/d than in TMZ 70 mg/d, although the difference was not significant. Amongst patients with limiting angina during exercise test, both doses of TMZ significantly improved both T1 and TED. No difference in serious adverse events was noted between TMZ and placebo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The VASCO-angina gives evidence for the efficacy and tolerability of standard and high dose of TMZ in improving effort-induced myocardial ischemia and functional capacity in patients with chronic stable angina receiving background beta-blockers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristiana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vitale
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Spoletini
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Malorni
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Perrone-Filardi
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Volterrani
authors.forename: Giuseppe M C
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Rosano
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D060050:Angina, Stable / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014292:Trimetazidine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D014292:Trimetazidine