Oral nicorandil reduces ischemic attacks in patients with stable angina: A prospective, multicenter, open-label, randomized, controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of oral nicorandil in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients with stable angina.

METHOD: Eligible patients were randomized 1:1 to the nicorandil or control group. Current standard antianginal treatment was continued in both groups, while the patients in the nicorandil group received an additional 12-week treatment of nicorandil (5mg thrice daily). Primary endpoint was the number of myocardial ischemia measured by 24h Holter after 12-week treatment. Secondary endpoints included various 24h Holter indicators, angina occurrence, 6-min walking test (6MWT), ECG QT dispersion (QTd), safety and compliance.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT01396395.

RESULTS: A total of 402 adult patients with stable angina were enrolled. Two hundred patients were randomized to standard therapy plus nicorandil and 202 patients to standard therapy only. The baseline characteristics of the two groups were comparable. The number of myocardial ischemia attacks after treatment was significantly lower in the nicorandil group (LSMEANS 0.896) than the control group (LSMEANS 1.782), with an adjusted ratio of 0.503 (95% CI: 0.301, 0.840; P=0.0086). No significant differences in total myocardial ischemic burden, maximum ST-depression, longest duration of ST-depression, 6MWT, or heart rate variability were noted between the two groups. Twenty three (11.7%) of nicorandil group and 13 (6.3%) patients of control group reported at least one treatment emergent adverse event, respectively.

CONCLUSION: Nicorandil significantly reduced the number of ischemic attacks when added to standard antianginal treatment in CHD patients with stable angina. It was well tolerated with no new safety signal identified.