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[See footnotes for trade names]
The IONA Study and Results
The IONA (Impact of Nicorandil in Angina) study#1 was conducted by the
University of Glasgow and was designed to evaluate whether the anti-anginal
drug nicorandil has cardioprotective qualities which may bring additional
benefit to patients with angina.
The study was the first and largest of its kind yet reported. 5,126 patients
(men aged 45 years or over and women aged 55 years over) were recruited;
all had stable angina of effort and were at a higher than average risk of having
a critical cardiovascular event.
Approximately 8,500 years of patient data
were collected making it the largest ever study of an anti-anginal drug in
British patients.
How was the IONA Study Designed?
The IONA study was designed to evaluate the effect of treatment with
nicorandil on the primary endpoints of death from coronary heart disease
(CHD), cases of non-fatal myocardial infarction, or unplanned hospitalisation
for chest pain.
IONA was a multi-centre, double blind controlled study with patients
randomised to receive placebo or nicorandil 10mg twice daily, increasing to
20mg twice daily after two weeks.
Treatment was given in addition to
patients’ usual anti-anginal therapy for a duration of between 12 and 36
months.
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Key IONA Study Results
The results of this landmark study confirmed nicorandil’s ability to protect the
heart in patients with chronic stable angina of effort. The investigators found
that nicorandil significantly reduced the combined endpoints of death from
coronary heart disease, non-fatal myocardial infarction and unplanned cardiac
hospitalisation.
The IONA study results, which now prove nicorandil’s ability to cardioprotect,
suggest that the role of nicorandil in patients with CHD could change, from
simply one of symptom reduction, to disease modification and improved
outcome.
References:
1. Dargie HJ (2001) ‘IONA – Nicorandil for Stable Angina’. Oral presentation,
American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2001, Anaheim, California
2. Patel DJ, Purcell HJ, Fox KM (1999) Eur Heart J 20: 51-7
#The
IONA study was a multi-centre, double blind controlled study with patients randomised to
receive placebo or nicorandil 10mg twice daily, increasing to 20mg twice daily after two
weeks. Treatment was given in addition to patients’ usual anti-anginal therapy for a duration
of between 12 and 36 months.
Nicorandil is marketed under the brand name Ikorel in UK, Ireland, Netherlands and
Australia; Ikorel and Adancor in France; Angicor in Denmark; Dancor in Switzerland and
Austria; Dancor and Nikoril in Portugal; Sigmart in Japan, Korea and Taiwan.
The trial received financial support from Aventis Pharma AG, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
and Merck KGaA.
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