Improved exercise tolerance by i.v. fructose-1,6-diphosphate in chronic, stable angina pectoris

The effect of IV fructose-1,6-diphosphate (FDP) on transient, reproducible myocardial ischemia was evaluated in ten patients, aged 50 to 66 years, with chronic, stable exertional angina. FDP or placebo (glucose) were administered between basal and posttreatment ergometric stress testing; an identical procedure was repeated in each patient with the second treatment on the following day according to a single-blind, cross-over design. FDP improved exercise tolerance and total work capacity, significantly delaying the onset of ST-segment depression and angina. Nevertheless, the critical level of the rate x pressure (R X P) product, causing appearance of myocardial ischemia, was not remarkably changed. However, the R X P product at same workload was significantly lower after FDP. These results suggest that improved exercise tolerance might have resulted from peripheral (increased oxygen delivery to skeletal muscle) rather than from central (cardiac) effects of FDP.