Nicorandil Could Improve Outcome For Angina PatientsApril 10, 2002Results of a UK study in this week's issue of THE LANCET suggest that the antianginal drug nicorandil could reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease associated with angina. Angina occurs in 10% of men aged older than 60 years in the UK (10-15 years later in women), and is a common underlying cause of coronary heart disease (CHD). Aspirin, angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, and statins reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in subgroups of patients with stable angina; however, the effect of specific antianginal treatment in these patients is unknown. The antianginal drug nicorandil is thought to have cardioprotective properties in addition to its anti-ischaemic effects. Henry Dargie from the Western Infirmary, Glasgow, UK, and the Impact Of Nicorandil in Angina (IONA) investigators did a randomised trial to find out whether nicorandil could reduce the frequency of coronary events in men and women who had stable angina and additional risk factors for CHD. 5126 patients from 226 centres in the UK were randomly assigned 20 mg nicorandil twice daily or identical placebo in addition to standard antianginal therapy (b-blockers, calcium-channel blockers, or long-acting nitrates). Average follow-up time was 1.6 years. 15.5% of patients in the placebo group and 13.1% in the nicorandil group had a primary endpoint (death due to coronary heart disease, non-fatal heart attack, or unplanned hospital admission because of chest pain). The rate of acute coronary syndromes was 7.6% in the placebo group and 6.1% in the nicorandil group; the corresponding rates for all cardiovascular events were 17% and 14.7%, respectively. An accompanying Commentary (p 1262) by Edward Lesnefsky from Louis Stokes Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Cleveland, USA, concludes: 'The results of IONA provide strong evidence that the cellular effectors of ischaemic preconditioning will continue to emerge as key therapeutic targets in the development of strategies to manage ischaemic heart disease.' Lancet |
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| Related Heart Disease Current Events and Heart Disease News Articles Multiple health concerns surface as winter, vitamin D deficiences arrive A string of recent discoveries about the multiple health benefits of vitamin D has renewed interest in this multi-purpose nutrient, increased awareness of the huge numbers of people who are deficient in it, spurred research and even led to an appreciation of it as "nature's antibiotic." Carvedilol shown to have unique characteristics among beta blockers In a new study, researchers report that a class of heart medications called beta-blockers can have a helpful, or harmful, effect on the heart, depending on their molecular activity. ESC to give talks on Diabetes in three cities in China As a result of successful events organised last year, a second Joint Scientific Forum, organised by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), two of the most respected professional medical organisations in Europe, will be held from 27-29 November at three venues across China - Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Saving the single cysteine: new antioxidant system found We've all read studies about the health benefits of having a life partner. The same thing is true at the molecular level, where amino acids known as cysteines are much more vulnerable to damage when single than when paired up with other cysteines. Drug for erectile dysfunction improves heart function in young heart-disease patients Heart function significantly improved in children and young adults with single-ventricle congenital heart disease who have had the Fontan operation following treatment with sildenafil, a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension, say researchers from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Study raises concerns about outdoor second-hand smoke Indoor smoking bans have forced smokers at bars and restaurants onto outdoor patios, but a new University of Georgia study in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that these outdoor smoking areas might be creating a new health hazard. Night Beat, Overtime and a Disrupted Sleep Pattern Can Harm Officers' Health A police officer who works the night shift, typically from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., already is at a disadvantage when it comes to getting a good "night's" sleep. Your Own Stem Cells Can Treat Heart Disease The largest national stem cell study for heart disease showed the first evidence that transplanting a potent form of adult stem cells into the heart muscle of subjects with severe angina results in less pain and an improved ability to walk. The transplant subjects also experienced fewer deaths than those who didn't receive stem cells. Vitamin B niacin offers no extra benefit to statin therapy in seniors already diagnosed with CAD The routine prescription of extended-release niacin, a B vitamin (1,500 milligrams daily), in combination with traditional cholesterol-lowering therapy offers no extra benefit in correcting arterial narrowing and diminishing plaque buildup in seniors who already have coronary artery disease, a new vascular imaging study from Johns Hopkins experts shows. Heart and bone damage from low vitamin D tied to declines in sex hormones Researchers at Johns Hopkins are reporting what is believed to be the first conclusive evidence in men that the long-term ill effects of vitamin D deficiency are amplified by lower levels of the key sex hormone estrogen, but not testosterone. More Heart Disease Current Events and Heart Disease News Articles |
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