Table of contents
- Trial overview
- Who is being studied
- What the trials measure
- Trial designs and phases
- Key studies involving Atenolol
- Patient-friendly terms
Trial overview
These studies are looking at Atenolol as part of research in several heart-related conditions.[1] The trials are not all asking the same question: some test heart rate control, some test broader cardiovascular outcomes, and some compare treatment strategies in special patient groups.[2]
Most of the listed studies are Phase 3 trials, which usually means the treatment is being tested in larger groups to see how well it works in real patient settings.[1] One study is described as Low Intervention and still examines whether stopping or continuing treatment changes later heart problems.[2]
Who is being studied
The target groups are very specific and vary from study to study.[1][2] One trial includes people with Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD), which means a tear forms in a heart artery without the usual cause of blocked arteries.[1]
Another trial includes people with ischemic heart disease who have a resting heart rate above 65 beats per minute and are having a cardiac CT scan for evaluation.[2] A different study focuses on people with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy who had a strong response to cardiac resynchronization therapy, have negative genetic testing, and do not have significant arrhythmia.[2]
Other studies include people with type 2 diabetes and no known cardiovascular disease, people with Andersen-Tawil syndrome or multifocal ectopic Purkinje-related premature contractions, and people with unexplained cardiac arrest or idiopathic ventricular fibrillation.[2][3][2]
What the trials measure
The studies use different primary outcomes, which are the main results the researchers want to measure.[1] In the SCAD study, the main outcome is a combined clinical endpoint that includes death, myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary revascularization, recurrent dissection, and hospital admission for acute coronary syndrome or heart failure at 1 year.[1]
In the heart rate study before cardiac CT, the main outcome is the time needed for the average heart rate to drop by 10% from baseline after the study drug is given.[2] In the non-ischemic cardiomyopathy study, the main outcome is recurrence of left ventricular dysfunction or heart failure at 6 months, measured by changes in left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular volume, or heart failure symptoms with raised NT-proBNP.[2]
Other studies measure a composite cardiovascular endpoint in type 2 diabetes, ventricular ectopy burden per 24 hours in rhythm disorders, and ICD-related events or arrhythmic episodes in idiopathic ventricular fibrillation.[2][3][2]
Trial designs and phases
All listed studies are interventional, meaning researchers assign treatment strategies and then watch what happens.[1] Several trials compare Atenolol with other beta-blockers or other medicines rather than testing it alone.[1][2][3]
The SCAD study includes beta-blockers and antiplatelet agents, while the CT heart rate study compares beta-blockers with ivabradine.[1][2] The rhythm studies compare different antiarrhythmic strategies, including beta-blockers, flecainide, verapamil, quinidine, and nadolol, depending on the condition and trial design.[3][2]
Key studies involving Atenolol
NCT04850417 is a Phase 3 study in 700 people with SCAD. It tests medical therapy with beta-blockers and antiplatelet agents and looks at a 1-year combined clinical endpoint.[1]
2025-522741-21-00 is a Phase 3 study in 350 people with ischemic heart disease. It asks which medication and dose, including Atenolol, lowers heart rate fastest before cardiac CT in people with a resting heart rate above 65 beats per minute.[2]
2025-521780-12-00 is a Low Intervention study in 64 people with non-ischemic cardiomyopathy. It tests whether withdrawal of neurohormonal therapy is not worse than continuing treatment for preventing return of heart dysfunction or heart failure symptoms.[2]
2022-500143-21-01 is a large Phase 3 study in 7,300 people with type 2 diabetes and no known cardiovascular disease. It evaluates whether a CT-based treatment strategy can reduce major cardiovascular events.[2]
NCT06205550 is a small Phase 3 study in 10 people with Andersen-Tawil syndrome or multifocal ectopic Purkinje-related premature contractions. It measures the number of extra ventricular beats over 24 hours.[3]
2024-518057-41-00 is a Phase 3 study in 218 people with unexplained cardiac arrest or idiopathic ventricular fibrillation. It uses ICD data and arrhythmic events to study the effect of beta-blocker treatment.[2]
Patient-friendly terms
Cardiac CT is a heart scan that uses X-rays to make detailed pictures of the heart and blood vessels.[2] In these trials, it is used to help guide treatment or prepare for the scan itself.[2][2]
ICD means implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, a device that can detect and treat dangerous heart rhythms.[2] NT-proBNP is a blood marker that can rise when heart failure is present or getting worse.[2]
Left ventricular ejection fraction is a measure of how well the heart’s main pumping chamber is working.[2] Ventricular ectopy burden means how many extra beats from the lower heart chambers happen over a set time, usually 24 hours.[3]
