Double-blind comparison of Diltiazem and placebo in the treatment of exercise-inducible chronic stable angina pectoris.

The effect of Diltiazem, a calcium antagonist drug, were compared with those of placebo on exercise performance. Twenty four patients with exercise-inducible chronic stable angina pectoris were studied over a double-blind period of 8 weeks. The active product was generally well tolerated. Diltiazem was effective in increasing the anginal threshold, in decreasing the ST-segment depression at an identical submaximal workload and in increasing the time to termination of exercise. These results are in accordance with those of others but the mechanisms whereby these effects occur are unclear; the observed results suggest that peripheral effects are not primarily responsible for the drugs' efficacy.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes