The results of ‘EUROPA’ – a landmark EUropean trial on Reduction Of cardiac events with Perindopril in stable coronary Artery disease – will be unveiled at the European Society of Cardiology Annual Congress on August 31, 2003. Leading heart specialists from India will be among 20,000 heart specialists from around the world who would await the results in Vienna, Austria.

EUROPA is the largest trial ever conducted in patients with stable coronary disease. It involved 12,218 patients from 24 European countries who were treated with Perindopril (Coversyl), a long acting ACE inhibitor, with a well-documented efficacy in the treatment of hypertension (high blood pressure), heart failure (where the heart has problems pumping blood) and after a myocardial infarction (heart attack). It has been proved to alter blood levels of angiotensin II and bradykinin, which are natural chemicals in the body that are involved in regulating blood pressure.

EUROPA is the first trial to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of ACE (Angiotensin Converter Enzyme) inhibitor in a broad spectrum of patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD). The leading French drug company, Servier Research Group, has sponsored the study.

ACE inhibitors reduce mortality and morbidity in patients with heart problems and hypertension. However their long-term efficacy in patients with stable CAD has never been established.

CAD is increasing alarmingly around the world, including India, with changing lifestyles. Its prevalence has increased by 200% in India the last 20 years (“from 1 in 25 in 1970, to 1 in 9 in 2001”, according to one study) and it is expected that death from heart attacks will be the major killer by 2013.

Indians also suffer from heart attacks at a much earlier age, between 30-50 years, as compared to the West. Studies have shown adverse changes in CAD risk factors and disease rates have been observed when South Asians adopt an urban lifestyle, whether they live in India or abroad. One study has shown a 9-fold increase in CAD in urban centres compared with a 2-fold increase in CAD among the rural population.