[Comparison of the effects of nifedipine and diltiazem in patients with stable angina pectoris of various severity and pathomorphology of the coronary arteries].

In a double blind 7-week randomized study the authors compared in 29 patients with stable angina the action of placebo, nifedipine and diltiazem. Nifedipine was administered in amounts of 60 mg/day for three weeks, diltiazem 270 mg/day also for three weeks. Nifedipine and diltiazem exerted a significant antianginous action in patients with occluded but collateralized coronary arteries (group A), as well as in patients without collaterals (group B). In both these groups diltiazem improved the load tolerance significantly more than nifedipine. Nifedipine and diltiazem were useful also in patients with mild (group E), medium (group D) and severe (group C) affections of the coronary arteries. Groups C and E differed significantly as to the different effect of nifedipine and diltiazem on load S-T depressions (in group C diltiazem was significantly more effective, in group E nifedipine was insignificantly better), and it was not possible to explain these differences by a different effect on Robinson's index. The authors conclude that neither nifedipine nor diltiazem led in the amounts used to the "steal phenomenon" with clinical impact. In patients with mild affections of the coronary arteries their antiischaemic and antianginous action was similar, in patients with severe affection of the coronary arteries diltiazem was more effective.