International nifedipine trial on antiatherosclerotic therapy (INTACT).

A number of animal studies revealed an inhibition or retardation of the progression of atherosclerosis by calcium-antagonists. Encouraged by these studies, a multicenter trial on the progression of coronary artery disease (CAD) in man was initiated testing the antisclerotic effect of nifedipine against placebo in 426 patients with mild to moderate coronary disease over 3 years. All patients underwent coronary angiography before entering the trial and will be restudied after 3 years; changes of the coronary artery lumen size are quantitatively assessed by a computer-assisted system (CAAS). INTACT (International Trial on Antiatherosclerotic Coronary Therapy) is therefore the first randomized prospective study on the progression of CAD based on a quantitated anigraphic control of the coronary system.