Chronic effects of transdermal nitroglycerin in stable angina pectoris: a within-patient, placebo-controlled study.

The efficacy of transdermal nitroglycerin patches, releasing 20 mg of active substance over a period of 24 h (TDN 20), was investigated in 10 patients with stable exercise-induced angina pectoris. The study was divided into 3 periods: the first part was an acute, within-patient, crossover, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, in which patients performed a cycloergometric exercise test 4 and 24 h after the application of the patches (TDN 20 or placebo). During the 2nd period, patients were given TDN 20, in single blind conditions, for 4 weeks and another exercise test was performed, on the last day, 4 and 24 h after patch application.

The effects on exercise tolerance of a new transdermal therapeutic system containing nitroglycerine, in patients with stable angina pectoris.

In two randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled, within patient, studies, the effects of 4 doses of a new transdermal therapeutic system containing nitroglycerin (TTS-NTG) were studied in a total of 15 patients with stable exercise-induced angina pectoris. A single 24-hour application of TTS-NTG 10 cm2, TTS-NTG 20 cm2 and TTS placebo (1st study: 6 patients) and of TTS-NTG 40 cm2, TTS-NTG 80 cm2 and TTS placebo (2nd study: 9 patients) was applied on 3 different days, and a symptom-limited cycloergometric exercise test was performed 3, 12 (only in the 2nd study) and 24 hours after the application of each treatment. In comparison with placebo, the doses tested in the 1st study induced, at the 3rd hour post-dosing, a decrease in standing systolic blood pressure and an improvement in exercise tolerance which, however, were not statistically significant while the effects at the 24th hour were similar to those of placebo.

Effects of a transdermal patch system containing nitroglycerin on exercise tolerance in patients with angina pectoris. Double-blind, placebo controlled, comparison with slow-release nifedipine and verapamil.

The antianginal efficacy of nitroglycerin (NTG), given in a new transdermal therapeutic system (TTS), was compared with that of nifedipine and verapamil, both in slow-release (SR) formulation, in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, carried out in 8 patients with stable exercise-induced angina pectoris. TTS NTG 40 cm2 (releasing 20 mg of NTG over 24 hours), nifedipine 20 mg SR, verapamil 120 mg SR and placebo were given once on 4 consecutive days according to a 4 X 4 latin-square design, twice replicated. A cycloergometric symptom-limited exercise test was performed 4 and 8 hours after the administration of each drug.