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- Table of Contents <file0>
-
- 2. ANTIANGINAL DRUGS
- BG Katzung & K Chatterjee
-
- ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
- I. General aspects of drug treatment of angina
- 1. Mechanisms of action <mechan2>
- 2. Indications for antianginal drugs <select2>
- II. Nitrates
- 1. Properties <nitrate.prp>
- 2. Adverse effects, toxicity <nitrate.tox>
- 3. Table of drugs: <tab2-1>
- III. Calcium channel blockers
- 1. Properties <calblock.prp>
- 2. Adverse effects, toxicity <calblock.tox>
- 3. Table of drugs <tab2-2>
- IV. Beta-adrenoceptor blockers
- 1. Properties <betablk.prp>
- 2. Adverse effects, toxicity <betablk5>
- 3. Table of drugs <tab2-2>
- └───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
-
- (PgDn key for more text)
-
- I. GENERAL ASPECTS OF DRUG TREATMENT OF ANGINA
-
- Three major drug groups are used in the treatment of
- angina: the nitrate vasodilators, the beta-adrenoceptor block-
- ers, and the calcium channel blockers. The nitrates and the cal-
- cium channel blockers are discussed in this chapter; the beta-
- blockers are described in detail in Chapter 5. Coronary artery
- bypass grafting and percutaneous transluminal coronary
- angioplasty are important reperfusion therapies that modify the
- need for pharmacologic therapy in suitable patients.
-
- Pathophysiology: Anginal pain is a symptom of inadequate oxygen
- delivery to the myocardium relative to the oxygen requirement
- of this tissue. This may be associated with:
- * Atherosclerosis, resulting in classic angina of effort or
- atherosclerotic angina; or
- * Vasospasm, resulting in vasospastic or Prinzmetal's variant
- angina; or
- * Unstable or crescendo angina: A rapid increase in frequency
- and intensity of anginal pain. It is thought to herald an im-
- minent myocardial infarction.
-
- (PgDn key for more text)
-
- Therapeutic Rationale
- * Increase oxygen delivery: This may be accomplished by surgery
- in the atherosclerotic form of angina or coronary
- vasodilators in the vasospastic form.
- * Reduce oxygen requirement by decreasing the work of the heart.
- This is especially important in the atherosclerotic form of
- angina but is useful in both types. It is achieved through
- the use of peripheral vasodilators that decrease arterial
- pressure and drugs that reduce cardiac output, either by an
- action directly on the heart, or by decreasing venous return.
-
- Mechanisms
- * Nitrates: The nitrates cause selective smooth muscle relaxa-
- tion, probably by release of the nitric oxide (NO) group,
- which apparently increases cGMP. There is little direct ef-
- fect on myocardial or skeletal muscle. In atherosclerotic
- angina, the major therapeutic mechanism is reduction of car-
- diac work by peripheral vasodilatation, especially of the veins.
- These drugs may also produce useful coronary vaso-
- dilatation in vasospastic and unstable angina, in which coronary
- vasospasm may be a major contributor to the relative ischemia
- of the tissue.
- (PgDn key for more text)
-
-
- * Beta-adrenoceptor blockers (see Chapter 5, <betablk5>):
- Beta blockers decrease cardiac work by blocking ß1 receptors in the
- myocardium and thereby decreasing cardiac output. They also
- reduce cardiac work by decreasing blood pressure. Although
- only 2 members of this group (both nonselective beta block-
- ers) have been approved for use in angina at the time of this
- writing, all beta-1 selective and nonselective beta blockers
- are effective in atherosclerotic angina. These drugs do not
- cause vasodilatation.
-
-
- * Calcium channel blockers: These agents directly cause
- peripheral vasodilatation and directly reduce cardiac work by
- reducing influx of activator calcium into smooth muscle and
- cardiac cells. In vasospastic and unstable angina, these
- drugs may cause a useful degree of coronary vasodilatation.
-
- (PgDn key for more text)
- References:
- 1. Symposium: Circulation 1985; 72 (Suppl V).
- 2. Takaro T et al: The Veterans Administration Cooperative
- Study of Stable Angina: Current status. Circulation 1982;
- 65 (Suppl 2): 60.
- 3. Gersh B J et al: Comparison of coronary artery bypass
- surgery and medical therapy in patients 65 years of age or
- older. N Engl J Med 1985;313:217.
- 4. Morse JR, Nesto RW: Double-blind crossover comparison of
- the
- antianginal effects of nifedipine and isosorbide dinitrate
- in patients with exertional angina receiving propranolol. J
- Am Coll Cardiol 1985; 6: 1395.
-
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- (PgDn key for more text)
-
- II. NITRATES
-
- Pharmacokinetics (see also Table <tab2-1>)
- Drugs of Special Importance
- * Nitroglycerine is the prototype nitrate and available in many
- dosage forms. Substitutes are rarely needed.
- * Isosorbide dinitrate is the most popular substitute nitrate.
- * Nitrites, eg, amyl nitrite, are obsolete and should not be
- prescribed in angina. Amyl nitrite is still used as a
- temporary measure in the treatment of cyanide poisoning.
- Sodium nitrite is a more effective antidote for cyanide (see
- antidotes, Chapter 24). Several organic nitrites, including
- amyl and isobutyl nitrite, have been fad recreational drugs,
- supposedly providing "sex enhancement."
- Toxicity: <nitrates.tox>
-
- Related Drugs:
- * Dipyridamole, not a nitrate compound, was promoted for use in
- angina. It is no longer labeled for this application.
-
-
-
- (PgDn key for more text)
-
- References:
- 1. Hoekenga D, Abrams J: Rational medical therapy for stable
- angina pectoris. Am J Med 1984; 76, 309.
- 2. Schneider WU et al: Dose-response relation of antianginal ac-
- tivity of isosorbide dinitrate. Am J Cardiol 1984; 53:700.
- 3. Scheidt S: Update on transdermal nitroglycerin: an overview.
- Am J Cardiol 1985; 56:3L
- 4. Thadani U et al: Transdermal nitroglycerin patches in angina
- pectoris. Dose titration, duration of effect, and rapid
- tolerance. Ann Int Med 1986; 105: 485.
-
-
- III. CALCIUM CHANNEL BLOCKERS
-
- CALCIUM CHANNEL BLOCKERS : PROPERTIES
-
- Three calcium channel blockers are presently available in
- the USA: diltiazem, nifedipine, and verapamil. Their major in-
- dication is in the treatment of angina.
-
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- (PgDn key for more text)
-
- Pharmacokinetics (see Table <tab2-2>)
- Contraindications and Warnings <calblock.tox>
-
- References:
- 1. Johnson SM et al: A controlled trial of verapamil for
- Prinzmetal's variant angina. N Engl J Med 1981; 304: 862.
- 2. Lindenberg BS et al: Efficacy and safety of incremental doses
- of diltiazem for the treatment of stable angina pectoris. J
- Am Coll Cardiol 1983; 2:1129.
- 3. McAllister RG, Hamann SR, Blouin RA: Pharmacokinetics of
- calcium-entry blockers. Am J Cardiol 1985; 55:30B.
- 4. Muller JE et al: Nifedipine and conventional therapy for un-
- stable angina pectoris: a randomized, double-blind com-
- parison. Circulation 1984; 69: 728.
- 5. Weiner DA et al: Efficacy and safety of verapamil in patients
- with angina pectoris after 1 year of continuous, high-dose
- therapy. Am J Cardiol 1983; 51:1251.
-
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-
- (PgDn key for more text)
-
- IV. BETA-BLOCKING DRUGS IN THE TREATMENT OF ANGINA
-
- Beta adrenoceptor antagonists are effective in preventing
- or reducing the incidence of attacks of angina of effort (see
- major indications above). They are not recommended for the man-
- agement of vasospastic angina. Their properties are discussed in
- detail in Chapter 5 <betablk.prp>. Although all of the "pure antagonist"
- ß-blockers appear to be equally effective in the prophylaxis of
- classic angina, only 2 (propranolol and nadolol) are presently
- labeled for this use (see Table <tab2-2>).
-
- References:
-
- 1. Alderman EL et al: Dose response effectiveness of propranolol
- for the treatmint of angina pectoris. Circulation 1975; 51:
- 964.
- 2. Thadani U et al: Comparison of the immediate effects of five
- B-adrenoceptor-blocking drugs with different ancillary
- properties in angina pectoris. N Engl J Med 1979; 300:750.
-
-
-
- (PgDn key for an additional reference)
-
- 3. Lynch P et al: Objective assessment of antianginal treatment:
- a double-blind comparison of propranolol. nifedipine, and
- their combination. Br Med J 1980;281: 184.
-