Nicorandil

[Tab1966]

Is anyone taking Nicorandil and did it make any difference to persistent angina?

[Getbacktonormal]

Hi, I have been on ranolazine . Just had another angiogram and was told it was too difficult to place a stent. They have increased my ranolazine and put me on Nicorandil 10mg twice a day. I started on Friday, they say it starts working after an hour and full effect in 4-5 days. So far no improvement for me.

[Tab1966 in reply to Getbacktonormal]

Thanks Diycrazy. I couldn't tolerate Ranolazine - I ended up in A&E with chest pain and irregular heart rate! I've been prescribed Nicorandil instead and have taken 10mg a day for a week. Today, I'm increasing to 20mg. But, walking uphill today I still experienced chest pain 😢 and felt disappointed to say the least!

[Getbacktonormal in reply to Tab1966]

I hope that works for you. I am on 500mg ranolazine twice a day and 10mg Nicorandil twice a day. My angina started on exertion and like you uphill was a struggle. Now I am finding even bending down or sitting still can bring on chest pain and breathlessness and GTN spray doesn't always work.

[Hugiebear]

I had NSTEMI sixteen months ago and seven stents and had persistent chest pain for a year, Started nicorandil in July and after two weeks my pain was easier and I have been much more comfortable but not always pain free.

[Tab1966 in reply to Hugiebear]

Thanks for your reply. I had 5 stents 5 years ago but have had persistent chest pain on exertion every since. I've had 2 normal stress echos which is reassuring but doesn't stop the pain reoccurring! So I'm really hoping that Nicorandil helps 😊

[dinasaurnan]

I've been taking 20mg of Nicorandil twice a day for a year now and never need to use my spray for Angina. I still get a bit brreathless on the hills but otherwise I'm feeling much better. Hope you feel better soon

[Tab1966 in reply to dinasaurnan]

Thanks. That certainly makes me hopeful!

[Gibson01]

I currently take 20mg Nicorandil twice a day. Cardiologist prescribed on August last year after angio and pet scan did not identify any significant blockages. It’s kept my unstable angina episodes to tolerable proportions. I have been prescribed Ranolazine twice in the past, including maximum dose. It did not work for me.

So far I have not noticed any side effects from the Nicorandil.

Good luck with it!

[Tab1966 in reply to Gibson01]

I've not had any noticeable side effects either thankfully, although only just increased to the higher dose so fingers crossed. I've had another angio and 2 stress echos since my stents 5 years ago and all were clear. Ranozoline wasnt good for me so I'm really hoping that Nicorandil helps because I feel like I can't keep as healthy as possible, as I want to avoid exercise due to the pain that always starts!

[Silvertail]

I couldn't take it. I had mouth ulcers continuously, which is one of the side effects.

[Tab1966 in reply to Silvertail]

Oh no! I hope that doesn't happen too me!

[OzWA21]

It's good to see Nicorandil works for some people, for me however I had nausea for a week so then went back to Nifedepine (but doubled the previous dose). Hope it works for you.

[Tab1966 in reply to OzWA21]

Thanks. I did have mild nausea for the first week that I took it, but am fine now.

[Hidden]

used to take it for micro vascular angina but gave me blinding migraines although can tolerate gtn spray so now just on calcium blockers 🙂

[Hidden]

I started on 10 mg twice a day which didn’t work. I was an increased to 20 mg twice a day which still didn’t work. This has now been stopped and I have been started on amlodipine 5 mg once-a-day which hasn’t worked and it’s now been increased to 7.5 mg once-a-day … fingers crossed.

[Tab1966 in reply to Hidden]

Hope it makes a difference for you 🤞

[Lucytucy]

Hi I take nicorandil twice a day plus minomil to stop pretzmental angina. I have angina attacks constantly if I don't take the tablets. I have nicorandil 20mg at 7am then 4pm, then at 8pm I have monomil 60mg this then covers me for the 24hrs. I have some slight spasms so I use a gt spray it just depends what I'm doing.

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Lucytucy]

Hello Lucytucy,Welcome to the forum.

I live with Vasospastic angina too.

Have you seen this information on the BHF website?

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo....

There is also this website written by patients with over 50 years, combined experience, of living with microvascular dysfunction and coronary vasospasms.

You may find it helpful.

internationalheartspasmsall...

[Lucytucy in reply to Milkfairy]

Thank you for this, I'm very new to this condition.

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Lucytucy]

I have lived with vasospastic angina for 10 years.

How were your coronary vasospasms diagnosed?

[Lucytucy in reply to Milkfairy]

I had a heart attack on the 4th July it constantly kept happening so I had morphine, had angiogram then said it was spasms but they wouldn't stop, still happens now unless I've had the monimil & nicorandil. I get spasms when I move about if I start walking they are worse (complete opposite to what they say) so I have a gt spray. Waiting for an MRI scan because cardiologist thinks it could be covid related. I've never smoked or drank alcohol and I walked 4-6 miles per day, I'm slim built and eat healthy so docs were puzzled with the heart attack, no blockages. Out of all the possible causes I would say stress is the only thing.