Exercise cardiovascular responses to gallopamil in ischemic heart disease

Abstract In a single-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial versus diltiazem, we evaluated the influence of gallopamil on cardiovascular responses evoked by bycicle exercise. Twelve patients with chronic stable angina were enrolled. After a 5 days placebo run-in period, patients were randomly assigned either to gallopamil (50 mg thrice daily) or diltiazem (60 mg thrice daily) for 10 days. Then, patients were changed to the alternative drug. After placebo, and at the end of each subsequent period, all subjects underwent right heart catheterization by means of a Swan-Ganz thermodilution catheter. Hemodynamics were determined in 3 ways: supine, standing and during a multistage exercise test. Results: anginal attacks were reduced to a similar degree by gallopamil (2.1 ± 1/week versus 5.8 ± 2.8/week during placebo, p P 2 , P P P P P P P