The Pharmaceutical Journal Vol 267 No 7175 p733-738
24 November 2001

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Nicorandil of benefit in angina

The potassium-channel activator nicorandil (Ikorel) shows cardioprotective benefits, according to results of a new study.

The Impact of Nicorandil in Angina trial (IONA) involved 5,126 patients with stable angina who were at high risk of future adverse events. Patients were randomised to placebo or to nicorandil 10mg twice daily titrated upward to 20mg twice daily. The average follow-up was 1.6 years.

The study showed that nicorandil lowered the risk of the primary endpoints of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction and unplanned admission to hospital for angina by 17 per cent compared with placebo (P=0.014). In addition, it lowered the risk of the secondary endpoints of cardiovascular death and myocardial infarction by 21 per cent (P=0.068).

The results were presented at the American Heart Association annual congress in Anaheim, California, earlier this month.

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