Old and New Drugs for Treatment of Stable Angina: New Anti-Anginal Drugs and Coronary Revascularization

Since the first human catheterization performed by Forssman in 1929 angioplasty equipment and medical therapies have undergone considerable evolution and technical improvement allowing interventionalists to perform more complex procedures and solving most of the percutaneous limitations. While percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has dramatically changed the outcome in the Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) setting, its role in the treatment of chronic stable angina is still debated. Stable coronary artery disease (SCAD) is a major public health issue and its prevalence is still increasing in the industrialized world. The correct treatment sees a multi-strategy approach aimed to a relief of symptoms, prevention of future cardiac events and survival improvement. In so forth, treatment strategies include optimal medical therapy (OMT) alone or combined with percutaneous or surgical coronary revascularization. Despite this, angina remains poorly controlled in the vast majority of CAD patients. Traditional agents such Beta-blockers or Calcium channel blockers or short and long acting nitrates have been used as first-line anti-anginal therapy for several years. Nowadays newer and more effective drugs usually used on top of older medical treatment have become available.