Monotherapy of stable angina pectoris with bopindolol in comparison with diltiazem

The efficiency of bopindolol (B) in the treatment of moderate stable angina pectoris was compared with that of diltiazem (D) by clinical evaluation and exercise tolerance. Following washout of previous treatment, patients were randomly assigned to either medication: 16 to D and 15 to B. The initial dose of B was 1 mg once daily, increased after 4 weeks to 2 mg once daily; the respective doses of D were 120 and 240 mg, given in 4 divided doses. Therapy resulted in an average decrease of 22 pain episodes and 256 min of pain time per month in the B group, whereas the respective reductions in the D group were 1.65 episodes and 129 min. Improvement in the exercise test indices following 8 weeks of treatment was more marked in the B group than in the D group. The average double product at peak exercise decreased markedly in the B group and more moderately in the D group. Thus, 2 mg B given once daily effectively blocked B receptors and relieved angina more efficiently than 240 mg D given in 4 divided doses.