[Hemodynamic effects of hydralazine in the cardiac insufficiency of non-obstructive myocardiopathy].

The haemodynamic effects of a single dose of between 0.15 and 0.25 mg/kg hydralazine were studied during cardiac catheterisation of 9 patients with primary congestive cardiomyopathy and heart failure. The systemic arterial resistances decreased (--1 370 +/- 400 dynes/s.cm-5/m2, p less than 0.05); the reduction of pulmonary arterial resistances was less marked (--420 +/- 400 dynes/s.cm-5/m2, p less than 0.05). Intraaortic pressure was reduced (--16 +/- 12 mmHg, p less than 0.02) as was average pulmonary arterial (--4.2 +/- 4,2 mmHg, p less than 0.05) and left ventricular end diastolic pressures (--4.2 +/- 3.0 mmHg, p less than 0,02). Systolic index increased in all cases (+13 +/- 5 ml/syst/m2, p less than 0.001). Heart rate was unchanged. This was due to the improvement of left ventricular function by the reduced impedence. These results confirm the place of hydralazine in the treatment of certain forms of heart failure.