Can we protect patients undergoing
percutaneous coronary intervention
better?
Beneficial effects of
short- and long-term trimetazidine MR therapy
in patients undergoing PCI
XU H et al. Chin J Cardiol. 2013;41(3):205-209.
Revascularization may cause irreversible
myocardial injuries
About one-third of all elective PCI procedures are
associated with significant myocardial injury, which has
been linked to increased subsequent mortality.
Beneficial effects of trimetazidine therapy
during PCI
Methods
 106 patients with unstable angina pectoris who underwent successful elective PCI
were randomly assigned to standard therapy or trimetazidine treatment
(60-mg loading dose prior to PCI followed by 20 mg tid after PCI on top of standard therapy).
 Primary end point, cTnI levels, measured before and at 16-18 hours after PCI.
 Secondary end points:
 Left ventricular (LV) function evaluated by echocardiography
 MACE (death, reinfarction, and target vessel revascularization)
XU H et al. Chin J Cardiol. 2013;41(3):205-209.
Beneficial effects of trimetazidine therapy
during PCI
Results
Postprocedural cTnI levels were significantly reduced in the trimetazidine group
compared with the control group (P< 0.05).
-92%
XU H et al. Chin J Cardiol. 2013;41(3):205-209.
Beneficial effects of trimetazidine therapy
during PCI
Results
XU H et al. Chin J Cardiol. 2013;41(3):205-209.
Beneficial effects of trimetazidine therapy
during PCI
Conclusion
Trimetazidine can reduce the post-PCI cTnI release and improve LV function after
PCI in patients with unstable angina pectoris.
Discussion
XU H et al. Chin J Cardiol. 2013;41(3):205-209.
Conclusion
 About one-third of all elective PCI procedures are associated
with significant myocardial injury, which has been linked to
increased subsequent mortality.
 Trimetazidine can effectively reduce PCI-associated myocardial
damage, and has a protective effect on the myocardium.
 These benefits could be linked to the mode of action of
trimetazidine MR. By providing a 33% increase in cellular
energy, trimetazidine MR protects cardiomyocytes against
ischemia.