Patients with chronic chest pain (of angina) will benefit from a new drug that lessens the workload of the heart. The drug (ranolazine) uses a unique tactic to lessen the workload of the heart.

Ranolazine stops the heart cells from metabolizing (UK spelling - metabolising) fatty acids (cell’s energy source). The cells (by doing this) get their energy from glucose using a metabolic process that is easier on them. Angina patients will (with Ranolazine) experience improved exercise capacity and less pain.

Angina is caused by partial blockage of the coronary arteries. It is common for angina patients to undergo bypass surgery or angioplasty (to increase blood flow). However, many still have to take drugs (to reduce the number of attacks and their severity).

Adding Ranolazine to a patient’s existing drug regimen brought significant benefits to patients (large-scale study, JAMA, Jan 21 issue).

The company that developed Ranolazine sponsored the study (CV Therapeutics Inc.). 823 patients were included in the study. They were all taking nitroglycerin (they all had chronic angina). Nitroglycerin is the basic medication for angina. They were also taking beta blockers or calcium blockers.

The researchers said, ’We report the first evidence that ranolazine can reduce both angina frequency and nitroglycerin consumption when added to a standard dose of one of three frequently prescribed anti-anginal drugs.’