Clinical experience with ranolazine in a veteran population with chronic stable angina

Efficacy of ranolazine in the treatment of chronic stable angina (CSA) has been established; however, pivotal trials did not require the optimization of conventional antianginal drug therapy (CADT) prior to use in a veteran population.

To determine whether ranolazine, when added to optimized doses of CADT, improves angina in a veteran population with CSA and refractory symptoms.

In an observational retrospective study, 35 patients prescribed ranolazine and having a baseline Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) administered at a Veterans Affairs medical center in Gainesville, FL, were evaluated. Patients who were prescribed ranolazine by a provider from outside the institution and did not obtain a baseline SAQ were excluded. The primary outcome measure was the change in SAQ scores from baseline to 1 and 3 months after initiation of ranolazine treatment. Secondary measures included clinically significant QTc interval prolongation (>500 msec or an increase of at least 60 msec from baseline), adverse drug reactions, discontinuation rates, and drug-drug interactions.

The addition of ranolazine to optimized CADT was associated with improvement in all dimensions of the SAQ scores at 1 and 3 months compared to baseline scores (p < 0.001 for all dimensions). Mean changes in SAQ dimension scores at 1 and 3 months, respectively, were as follows: physical limitation, +9.86 and +11.94; angina stability, +39.29 and +32.69; angina frequency, +26.79 and +25.38; treatment satisfaction, +11.38 and +10.66; and disease perception, +16.85 and +18.59. Improvments in all dimensions, except treatment satisfaction, were clinically significant as defined by set criteria. Of the 7 patients whose ranolazine dosages were increased to 1000 mg twice daily, only 2 patients were able to maintain treatment at that dosage.

Ranolazine added to optimized doses of CADT demonstrated an improvement in angina symptoms when given to a veteran population with persistent CSA.