Abstract
Influence of vasodilator therapy on prognosis of acute myocardial infarction complicated by left heart failure (in Killip classes II and III) was studied in 22 aged patients (mean age; 75.7 years). The patients were retrospectively divided into 2 groups: Group I; 12 patients were treated with isosorbide dinitrate and/or chlorpromazine and Group II; 10 patients were treated with other conventional medical measures. Initial hemodynamic changes on admission were not significantly different between 2 groups.
With these treatments mortality rate within 2 weeks of treatment was lower in Group I than in Group II (p<0.01), however, cumulative cardiac mortality rate within 18 months did not differ significantly. The present study demonstrated beneficial influence of vasodilator therapy on early prognosis in aged patients, but failed to show prolonged influence on later mortality.
