CONTINUOUS ORAL N-ACETYLCYSTEINE TREATMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF NITRATE TOLERANCE IN PATIENTS WITH STABLE ANGINA-PECTORIS

The presence of sulfhydryl (SH) groups appears to be fundamental to nitrate-induced vasodilation and N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a sulfhydryl (SH)-donor substance, potentiates hemodynamic responsiveness to nitrate. We investigated the effect of simultaneous administration of NAC and isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN) on development of nitrate tolerance. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled cross-over study, seven patients with stable angina pectoris were treated for two 8-day periods with ISDN (40 mg four times daily, q.i.d.) together with NAC (controlled release 600 mg q.i.d.) or matching placebo. Bicycle exercise tests were performed before treatment was started, 1 h after treatment was started, and at day 8. After 8-day treatment with ISDN + placebo, responses determined by exercise testing were diminished as compared with responses obtained during acute therapy and did not differ from baseline values, suggesting development of tolerance to ISDN. During treatment with ISDN + NAC, time to 1-mm ST depression was significantly prolonged (441 +/- 44 vs. 381 +/- 40 s, mean +/- SEM) and total ST segment depression significantly reduced (1.9 +/- 0.7 vs. 3.5 +/- 0.8 mm) as compared with baseline values. The reduction in ST segment depression was significantly more pronounced during ISDN + NAC (46%) as compared with ISDN + placebo (23%). Although exercise time and time to angina pectoris were unaffected, NAC augmented the antiischemic effects of ISDN as assessed by ECG. This finding may suggest that development of nitrate tolerance is modified by chronic oral high-dose NAC administration.