Key result
Nitroglycerin ointment increases total work during exercise testing up to ~70% versus placebo.
Why the study?
The efficacy and tolerability of nitroglycerin ointment in patients with severe angina pectoris required evaluation.
Does nitroglycerin ointment improve exercise capacity in male patients with severe angina pectoris?
RCT (n=80)
Double-blind
Does nitroglycerin ointment improve exercise capacity in male patients with severe angina pectoris?
Nitroglycerin ointment significantly improves exercise capacity for up to 7 hours in patients with severe angina pectoris, though headache is a common limiting side effect.
Supports nitroglycerin ointment for extended exercise tolerance in severe angina; extends RCT evidence on topical nitrate duration.
The efficacy and tolerability of nitroglycerin (NTG) ointment were studied in 80 male patients with severe angina pectoris. Two symptom-limited exercise tests were performed on successive days after application of an ointment containing 15 mg NTG or a placebo (P) ointment. The patients were assigned to 4 groups. The study was conducted in a double-blind, cross-over manner. The total amount of work performed was higher in all groups on NTG (46-70%) compared to P ointment. The difference was statistically significant (p less than 0.001) at all points of time from 0.5 to 7 hours. The ST segment depression in ECG at the end of the exercise test was slightly greater on P than on NTG, but the difference was statistically significant only in the 3-hour group (p less than 0.01). The frequencies of headache and dizziness were 35% and 16%, respectively, on NTG. Eight patients (10%) reported that headache was severe enough to prevent regular use of NTG ointment. NTG ointment is effective, has a long duration of action and is relatively well tolerated by patients with severe angina pectoris.
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Kala et al. (1983) conducted an RCT in Severe angina pectoris (n=80). Nitroglycerin (NTG) ointment vs. Placebo ointment was evaluated on Total amount of work performed during symptom-limited exercise tests (46-70% higher, p=<0.001). Nitroglycerin ointment (15 mg) significantly increased the total amount of work performed during exercise testing by 46-70% compared to placebo at all time points from 0.5 to 7 hours (p<0.001).
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