Partial fatty acid oxidation (pFOX) inhibition: a new therapy for chronic stable angina.

During myocardial ischemia, fatty acids are the principal source of energy, increasing myocardial oxygen consumption and making a decrease in coronary blood flow less well tolerated. Increasing glucose oxidation during myocardial ischemia may improve cardiac efficiency. The pFOX inhibitors have the potential to accomplish this. In 2003, I think we can look forward to learning more about this class of compounds called pFOX inhibitors. Perhaps they will provide us alternative therapies in our patients who have persistent chronic stable angina pectoris despite aggressive medical therapy and/or revascularization. It seems to methat this is an increasing problem, and it is particularly common in older patients who want to remain active, but whose chronic stable angina interferes with that lifestyle.