Acute and chronic effects of once-daily isosorbide-5-mononitrate on the exercise capacity of patients with angina pectoris treated with a beta-blocking drug

Forty-four patients with stable effort angina pectoris were included in a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, parallel group study to compare the effect of two slow-release forms of isosorbide-5-mononitrate ('Ismo-Retard' 40 mg and 'Imdur' 60 mg) on exercise capacity when given as an adjunctive treatment to beta adrenoreceptor blocking therapy. In a symptom-limited exercise test performed three hours after the first dose, Ismo-retard increased the total duration of exercise by 92 seconds (confidence interval (CI) 5.1-116.9) p less than 0.006, and the time of onset to anginal pain by 117 seconds (CI 27.8, 156.1) p less than 0.004. A similar improvement in total duration of exercise (by 87 seconds) was noted three hours following 15 consecutive once-daily doses (CI 16.8-128) p less than 0.02, and in the time of onset to anginal pain by 101 seconds (CI 19.8-139.6) p less than 0.01. For Imdur the corresponding results were 53 seconds (CI 12.7-56.3), 84 seconds (CI 15.4-103.7), p less than .02, 54 seconds (CI 1.4-78.4) and 85 seconds (CI 6.9-120.5) respectively. These results would suggest that both active treatments were effective anti-anginal agents.