{blacktriangledown}Ivabradine for stable angina?

doi:10.1136/dtb.2008.10.0026

Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin 2008;46:84-88; doi:10.1136/dtb.2008.10.0026

${blacktriangledown}$ Ivabradine for stable angina?

Relevant BNF section: 2.6.3

Up to 1 in 25 people in Europe and the USA have stable angina,with symptoms that may limit function and quality of life.^1,2Beta-blockers are usually used in initial symptomatic treatment,but may cause unwanted effects.³^–⁶ They are also contraindicatedin some patients (e.g. those with uncontrolled heart failure,severe peripheral vascular disease) and should be avoided inpatients with asthma or a history of reversible obstructiveairways disease or bronchospasm.⁶ ${blacktriangledown}$ Ivabradine (Procoralan –Servier) is the first in a new class of specific heart rate-reducingdrugs and is licensed for the "symptomatic treatment of chronicstable angina pectoris in patients with normal sinus rhythm,who have a contra-indication or intolerance for beta-blockers".^7,8Here we consider the place of ivabradine in the management ofpatients with stable angina.