Continuation of chronic calcium channel blocker therapy beyond the first postoperative year in patients with radial artery grafts did not affect graft patency or clinical and scintigraphic results.
RCT (n=120)
No
Does the continuation of diltiazem (120 mg/d) beyond the first postoperative year improve radial artery graft patency or clinical outcomes in patients with radial artery grafts?
Continuing diltiazem beyond the first year after radial artery grafting does not improve long-term graft patency or clinical outcomes.
BACKGROUND: This study was conceived to elucidate the clinical and angiographic effects of chronic calcium channel blocker therapy (CCCBT) continued after the first postoperative year in patients in whom the radial artery (RA) was used for myocardial revascularization. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients who received RA grafts at our institution and who at 1 year had no scintigraphic evidence of ischemia in the RA territory or angiographic evidence of RA malfunction (n=120) were randomly assigned to continue (n=63) or suspend (n=57) the CCCBT with diltiazem (120 mg/d). After 5 years, all patients were reassessed clinically and by stress myocardial scintigraphy, and 87 of them (45 from the continued group that continued CCCBT and 42 from the group that suspended CCCBT) were restudied angiographically. No differences regarding either the clinical and scintigraphic results or the RA angiographic status were demonstrated between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: After the first postoperative year, the continuation of CCCBT does not affect RA graft patency or clinical and scintigraphic results.
Gaudino et al. (Tue,) conducted a rct in Patients with radial artery grafts for myocardial revascularization (n=120). Chronic calcium channel blocker therapy (diltiazem) vs. Suspension of chronic calcium channel blocker therapy was evaluated on Clinical and scintigraphic results, and radial artery angiographic status. Continuation of chronic calcium channel blocker therapy beyond the first postoperative year in patients with radial artery grafts did not affect graft patency or clinical and scintigraphic results.