SummaryTwenty patients suffering from angina pectoris with co-existing fixed or labile airways obstruction, were administered fortnightly treatment periods of nifedipine or matching placebo over an 8-week period. Maintenance treatment for their airways obstruction continued throughout this period. Nifedipine was found to be an effective drug in controlling their angina, and did not have an adverse effect on the airways obstruction. Both systolic and diastolic BP was reduced over a 90-min period after administration of a single dose of nifedipine.

The effect of adding sustained-release theophylline tablets (Nuelin SA) in a dose of 350 and 700 mg daily to regular treatment with inhaled salbutamol was assessed in a double-blind cross-over study in 19 patients with reversible airways obstruction. In this combination, oral theophylline, even in the relatively low dose of 350 mg a day, produced a significant additional improvement in lung function. Subjectively, patients showed a preference for the combination of theophylline and inhaled salbutamol compared with the beta-stimulant alone.