Failure of alpha tocopherol to influence chest pain in patients with heart disease.

Claims for vitamin E in angina pectoris have not been based on controlled observations. Even some negative 'eports have not been adequately controlled as to nonspecific factors. Hence, this study of the effects of alpha tocopherol on cardiac pain used a method of investigation carefully Controlled as to psychologic factors which might affect the patient's response oi the examiner's interpretation of results. The dose of synthetic alpha tocopherol acetate (300 mg. by mouth daily for two oI' more months) was the same as that recomnmended by advocates of this form of therapy as optimum in most cases. The results failed to indicate that the vitamin possessed any advantage ove' the pllacebo for treatment of either effo't angina oi mixed types of cardiac and somatic chest pain.