Heart rate-lowering drug improves exercise capacity in patients with stable angina

"Results from a late-breaking clinical trial, presented at the 2008 Canadian Cardiology Congress in Toronto, show for the first time that combining the pure heart rate reduction medication ivabradine to current treatments of patients with stable angina improves their exercise capacity. The study involved almost 900 patients from Canada and internationally with documented coronary artery disease and a history of stable angina. The objective was to determine if treatment with ivabradine could improve exercise capacity in these patients beyond what was previously achieved with standard treatments. Patients received either ivabradine 5 mg bid for two months (increased to 7.5 mg bid in 87.5 percent of patients for an additional two months) or placebo for four months in addition to their current beta blocker background therapy (atenolol 50 mg daily)" - Huliq