Changing characteristics of patients with vasospastic angina in the era of new calcium channel blockers

In the 1980s, clinical characteristics and long-term prognosis of patients with vasospastic angina (VSA) were investigated; however, they remain to be updated after the introduction of new calcium channel blockers, benidipine and amlodipine, in 1990s. Our patient cohort registered 726 patients with VSA from January 1980 to December 2002. Before and after 1990, 138 and 527 patients were respectively entered in this study with a follow-up rate of 92%. Most of the patients were treated with calcium channel blockers, while benidipine and amlodipine were used in 28% and 21% of them only after 1990. Survival without cardiovascular events (96% versus 96%) at 5 years remained good before and after 1990. The presence of significant coronary stenosis had a negative prognostic impact both before and after 1990, whereas after 1990, diabetes mellitus, smoking, and a history of myocardial infarction became more influential. Among the calcium channel blockers, benidipine showed a better prognosis. These results suggest that in the era of new calcium channel blockers, the prognosis of patients with VSA remains good with more prognostic impact of diabetes mellitus, smoking, and a history of myocardial infarction and that benidipine might have some better prognostic effects.