[Comparative evaluation of the impact of four-week therapy with amlodipine and atenolol on quality of life and blood lipid composition in patients with coronary heart disease associated with metabolic syndrome].

Aim: To comparatively estimate the time course of changes in key metabolic parameters and quality of life (QL) in patients with coronary heart disease during 4-week therapy with atenolol and amlodipine.

Subjects And Methods: The 4-week randomized open-label trial included 60 patients with functional classes II-III stable angina pectoris on exertion associated with metabolic syndrome (all male patients aged 29 to 62 years (mean age 48.1 +/- 0.9 years)). Along with the traditional studies accepted in specialized cardiology practice, QL was assessed using the EORTC QLO CORE 30 questionnaire prior to treatment and on the last day of the trial.

Results: Four-week therapy with the individually adjusted dosages of atenolol (68.7 +/- 4.17 mg/day) or amlodipine (5.5 +/- 0.34 mg/ day) ensured comparable positive changes in the subjective assessment of QL.

Conclusion: The positive changes in exercise tolerance that was considered to be an objective indicator for physical improvement in the treatment with amlodipine were more pronounced than those in that with atenolol. Therapy with amlodipine caused no change in blood lipid parameters while that with atenolol was associated with a 9.7% increase in blood triglyceride concentrations.