Effects of nicardipine on pulmonary and systemic vascular reactivity to oxygen in patients with pulmonary hypertension secondary to chronic obstructive lung disease.

We compared the acute effects of nicardipine and a placebo on the response of pulmonary and systemic circulation to different inspiratory fractional concentrations of O2 (FiO2) in 10 patients with pulmonary hypertension secondary to chronic obstructive lung disease. After catheterization of the pulmonary and femoral arteries, gas mixtures containing 15, 21, and 30% O2 were randomly administered for 20 min each during infusion of saline and then nicardipine (0.06 mg/kg/min). Plasma nicardipine level was maintained at 30 ng/ml. During nicardipine infusion, cardiac index (CI) was significantly higher (+20%, p less than 0.05) than during placebo infusion, with no change in mean pulmonary artery pressure (MPAP). Pulmonary resistances also decreased significantly (-20%) during nicardipine. No change in arterial or mixed venous O2 contents was noted. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and systemic resistances decreased significantly with nicardipine. Inhaling a hyperoxic mixture was followed by a significant decrease in arterial pressure during placebo infusion; this was not observed during nicardipine. In contrast with systemic circulation, the response of the pulmonary circulation to different FiO2 levels was unaffected by nicardipine.