Dipyridamole in the treatment of angina pectoris: a meta-analysis

A meta-analysis was performed to reevaluate the efficacy of dipyridamole for prophylaxis of angina pectoris. We found 10 articles that reported 11 randomized control trials published between 1960 and 1970. Three trials found a statistically significant benefit for the drug vs placebo, four showed a positive trend, two found no difference, and two showed a slight trend favoring placebo. When the results of all 11 trials were combined, two different statistical methods showed a statistically significant benefit from the drug. These combined results must be interpreted cautiously because of excluded patients and other methodologic variations in the studies, as well as evidence from other studies that dipyridamole may aggravate angina. Nevertheless, we conclude that there is some evidence for efficacy of the drug and believe the question should be restudied in larger and better-designed trials.