ESC: On Second Go-Round, MERLIN Finds Arrhythmia Magic in Ranolazine

VIENNA, Sept. 6 -- The anti-anginal drug ranolazine (Ranexa) may reduce episodes of ventricular tachycardia and supraventricular tachycardia, researchers reported here.

The potential benefit was detected in a pre-specified analysis of Holter monitor data from MERLIN-TIMI 36 -- a failed trial of ranolazine for treatment of acute coronary syndrome.

Yet the analysis showed that ranolazine reduced the number of ventricular tachycardia episodes by 37% (P