Beneficial effect of oral verapamil on exercise induced silent myocardial ischemia

Twelve consecutive patients (all males, age 40-72 years) of asymptomatic angiographically proven coronary artery disease who showed exercise induced regional wall motion abnormalities (RWMA) on Radionuclide Ventriculography were restudied by the same method after 208 weeks treatment with oral Verapamil 240 mg/day. Resting and peak exercise global ejection fractions and RWMA were compared using paired t-test. Without verapamil therapy, the resting mean ejection fraction was 64.75% (SD 9.45%), and fell with exercise (mean fall 5.25%, range - 25% to + 4%). On Verapamil therapy, the resting ejection fraction was 62.75% (SD 8.35%), and rose with exercise (mean rise 1.18%, range - 24% to + 18%). These changes in exercise ejection fractions with and without verapamil therapy were statistically significant (p = 0.01). Four of 5 resting, and 8 of 15 peak exercise induced RWMA improved on therapy. There were no significant differences in resting or peak-exercise double products with and without verapamil. We conclude that oral verapamil improves exercise induced ventricular dysfunction and regional wall motion abnormalities in patients with silent myocardial ischemia.