[High-dose transdermal nitroglycerin therapy: loss of effect within 24 hours?]

Within a relatively short period of time, nitroglycerin patches have come into widespread use for treatment of coronary artery disease in the absence of sufficient clinical data in support of their efficacy. Presently, there is still considerable controversy regarding the extent and duration of action as well as the dosage requirements. Accordingly, a study was carried out in six patients with angiographically-documented coronary artery disease, stable exercise-induced angina pectoris and reproducible ST-segment depression to analyze the effects of nitroglycerin patches, formulated to deliver 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg as well as 30 mg per 24 hours, respectively, on the extent of ST-segment depression. In a further study, the extent and duration of antianginal and anti-ischemic effects of nitroglycerin patches delivering 30 mg/24 hours were investigated in ten patients according to a randomized, double-blind, crossover placebo-controlled protocol. In seven of these patients, testing was again performed at 2.5 hours after repeated application (second application at 24 hours) (Figure 1). Nitroglycerin patches delivering 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg as well as 30 mg/24 hours, respectively, led to significant reductions in ST-segment depression at 2.5 hours of 59% (range 25 to 100%; p less than 0.025), 63% (0 to 100%, p less than 0.01), 77% (50 to 100%, p less than 0.001) as well as 82% (50 to 100%, p less than 0.005) as compared with control values (Figure 2).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)