Variable		Control group (n)31	Nicorandil group (n)31	p value
Post-op uses of inotropic drugs	yes	18 (59%)	9 (29%)	0.018*
Post-op uses of inotropic drugs	No	13 (41%)	22 (71%)	0.018*
Overall number of inotropic drugs		1.48 ± 1.07	0.66 ± 0.73	0.048*
Post-operative R-wave amplitude reduction in V5 (4 h) mm		4.6 ± 0.85	3.63 ± 0.89	0.011*
post-op LVEF%		56.48 ± 3.66	62.22 ± 3.55	0.048*
Post-operative CKMB	4 hours	51.76 ± 3.87	38.67 ± 3.44	0.031*
	12 hours	43.08 ± 2.43	34.75 ± 2.33	0.001*
	48 hours	14.05 ± 2.66	13.05 ± 3.55	0.816
Post-operative Troponin I	4 hours	1.36 ± 0.18	1.12 ± 0.16	0.017*
	12 hours	1.54 ± 0.31	1.18 ± 0.22	0.006*
	48 hours	0.54 ± 0.44	0.52 ± 0.45	0.741
Post-operative tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)	4 hours	20.3 ± 2.44	15.17 ± 1.56	0.001*
	12 hours	16.36 ± 2.37	13.17 ± 1.55	0.081*
	48 hours	12.33 ± 1.44	12.1 ± 1.25	0.649
Post-operative interleukin 6 (IL-6)	4 hours	36.71 ± 2.99	27.06 ± 3.4	0.021*
	12 hours	29.84 ± 5.66	23.18 ± 3.46	0.004*
	48 hours	22.66 ± 1.99	21.77 ± 2.36	0.162
Intensive care unit stay		2.66 ± 0.55	2.49 ± 0.33	0.588
Length of post-operative hospital stay		11.10 ± 1.35	10.85 ± 1.20	0.964