Haemodynamic dose-response effects of a transdermal nitrate delivery system in acute myocardial infarction with and without left heart failure.

The haemodynamic effects of a transdermal nitroglycerin delivery system (NTG-TTS) were investigated in 67 patients with a recent myocardial infarction. The study objectives were to define the dose-response effects of NTG-TTS and to examine the influence of baseline haemodynamic status on subsequent response. Therefore, patients with normal cardiac function [pulmonary artery occluded pressure (PAOP) less than 18 mm Hg, n = 40] and those with acute heart failure (PAOP greater than 18 mm Hg, n = 27) were studied after one of three regimens (TTS-10, TTS-20, or TTS-40) with the intention of securing 10 evaluable patients in each group. In patients with acute heart failure, all three doses reduced the left ventricular filling pressure with a modest decrease in systemic arterial pressure; cardiac index and heart rate were unaltered. The systemic vascular resistance was significantly reduced from 120 min. In patients with normal left ventricular function, there were small but significant reductions in systemic arterial pressure and vascular resistance with limited increases in heart rate; the cardiac stroke work index was reduced. These results are compatible with actions of NTG-TTS mainly on capacitance vessels; PAOP fell with limited impact on systemic arterial pressure and vascular resistance index. This mode of nitrate delivery resulted in a low incidence of hypotension and side-effects; comparison with other delivery methods in myocardial infarction seems indicated.