Stable angina pectoris: current medical treatment.

Stable angina represents the main symptom of established coronary artery disease. In addition atherosclerosis is the common pathological substrate of chronic stable angina as well as acute coronary syndromes. The aim of stable angina management is the symptomatic relief and the secondary prevention. Lifestyle modification and pharmacological therapy are the cornerstones of chronic coronary artery disease management irrespectively of possible surgical or percutaneous revascularization. Optimal medical therapy is a combination of antianginal/antiischemic drugs and disease modifying agents, including nitrates, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, antiplatelets, statins and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. Novel classes of treatment with different mechanisms of action have been developed in the last years, including nicorandil, ivabradine, trimetazidine and ranolazine. These drugs, which are currently approved as second-line treatments, have dynamically entered the clinical practice and their long-term effects are still under investigation.