1983 Volume 14 Issue 4 Pages 621-636
The hemodynamic effect of nitroglycerin ointment (NG), as vasodilator, was evaluated in 98 patients with heart failure, comparing with placebo ointment (PL) in a double-blind study using dopamine hydrochloride as basal treatment. The number of patients was 49 in both NG and PL group.
1. There was no significant difference in patient characteristics between NG and PL group.
2. Hemodynamic parameters in NG group revealed significant decrease in mean pulmonary arterial pressure (PA: 11.3%), pulmonary capillary wedge pressure or pulmonary arterial diastolic pressure (PCWP or PADP: 17.0%) and mean right atrial pressure (RA: 22.8%). There was significant difference between the two groups in PCWP or PADP, ‾RA, cardiac index (CI) and stroke work index (SWI), and the cardiac function was remarkably improved in NG group.
3. In NG group, adverse effects were observed in two patients (slight hypotension and headache).
4. Clinical usefulness was proven in 61.5% of the patients with NG and in 23.8% with PL, showing a significant difference between the two groups (P<0.001 by a U-test and P<0.01 by a χ2-test).
From these results, it is concluded that nitroglycerin ointment is a useful vasodilat ing drug in the treatment of heart failure.
