Long-Acting Coronary Vasodilator Drugs:Metamine, Paveril, Nitroglyn and Peritrate

Recognition of the value of glyceryl trinitrate (nitroglycerine) in the treatment and prevention of anginal attacks has confirmed the belief that coronary blood flow may be influenced favorably by drug therapy and has led to a search for vasodilators capable of more prolonged action. The most popular of the newer agents which are alleged to have this desirable effect are Metamine, Paveril, Nitroglyn and Peritrate. In order to evaluate these drugs, the modifying action of each agent on the electrocardiographic response to standard exercise (Master two-step test) was recorded and compared in 21 carefully selected patients with coronary disease. Analysis of the results obtained with varying dosage administered from one to six hours prior to exercise disclosed that Peritrate was vastly superior to the other three drugs and that it alone was worthy of the designation "long-acting coronary vasodilator."