ABSTRACT
The attempt to visualise the vasodilating action of drugs with anti-anginal potency by quantitative evaluation of coronary arteriograms is often difficult, since relief of angina depends on several mechanisms. Quantitative measurement of stenosis severity could become a useful tool in the evaluation of vasoactive drugs. The regional wall motion can be readily improved after acute reduction of preload by vasodilating drugs. Radionuclide methods for testing anti-anginal drugs should be used at rest and when myocardial ischaemia occurs, i.e. under exercise. Digitalis, and psychotropic drugs such as tricyclic agents and other antidepressant drugs, can cause exercise-induced repolarisation abnormalities, especially in women. Haemodynamic studies are usually open and performed after a single administration of the drug. Demonstration that an anti-anginal drug is active means that it is both anti-anginal and anti-ischaemic. The time-effect relationship of single and multiple doses of drug is necessary to assess. This duration-of-effect evaluation should be performed with serial exercise tolerance tests.
