The effect of rivaroxaban low doses on the stable angina of the II–III functional class clinical manifestations and the quality of life in patients with ischemic heart disease

Aim To evaluate the effect of low-dose rivaroxaban on quality of life of patients and clinical manifestations of functional class (FC) II-III stable angina. Material and methods 26 patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) with FC II-III stable angina, who were newly prescribed rivaroxaban 2.5 mg twice a day in combination with acetylsalicylic acid 75-100 mg, were followed for 10 weeks. During the first (before the beginning of treatment) and the last weeks of study, patients kept diaries, in which they reported angina attacks and short-acting nitrate intake, filled in an angina questionnaire (SAQ), and underwent electrocardiogram (ECG) Holter monitoring (HM). Results The treatment was associated with decreases in the frequency of angina attacks (by 19.5 %; р=0.027) and the number of taken short-acting nitrate pills (by 17.1 %; р=0.021) and an improvement of quality of life according to stability scales (р=0.042). Data from ECG HM showed decreases in the number and duration of ischemic episodes (p≤0.05). Conclusion The treatment of IHD patients with rivaroxaban 2.5 mg twice a day in combination with acetylsalicylic acid 75-100 mg for 2 mos. was associated with decreased frequency of angina attacks, reduced requirement for short-acting nitrate, and with improvement of quality of life.