Development trend analysis of ranolazine, based on bibliometrics

Ranolazine is a highly effective inhibitor of the late sodium current and has been received approval from the FDA in 2006 for the treatment of chronic angina. To date, nearly 2000 papers have been published on it. It has demonstrated therapeutic potential in various fields, but uncertainties regarding its efficacy, safety risks, and limitations in expanding indications have hindered its clinical application. Therefore, we believe that the current period is the best time to conduct bibliometric analysis to overcome existing challenges and optimize interdisciplinary strategies.

We searched and downloaded the papers in the Science Citation Index Expanded database of the Web of Science Core Collection on September 1, 2025. Microsoft Excel was applied to organize the data, WeiShengXin, CiteSpace and VOS viewer were used for data analysis and visualization.

A total of 1121 papers were included for follow-up research. The USA is the most productive country in this field and serves as a central hub for global cooperation and exchange. Gilead Sciences is the institution with the highest output in this field. Professor Belardinelli, L and Professor Chaitman, BR are the most influential authors in this field. The keywords "efficacy," "ventricular arrhythmias," "impact" and "channels" still have a strong influence at present.

Currently, the research focus in this field primarily centers on 3 key aspects: the anti-angina effect, the electrophysiological characteristics and anti-arrhythmic effect and other effects of ranolazine. The future research direction in this field is likely to focus on the neuroprotective effect of ranolazine, its antitumor metastasis effect and its effect on atrial fibrillation and diabetes patients on the basis of maintaining the current research focus.