[The use of corinfar in combined treatment of congestive heart failure at high altitude].

Altogether 52 patients with severe forms of congestive cardiac failure (CCF) developing as a result of rheumatic valvular heart diseases, were examined. The patients were divided into 2 groups: 35 living permanently in the lowlands (LL) and 17 living in the highlands (HL). All the patients received corinfar (nifedipine) as part of multimodality therapy at a single dose of 20 mg/m2 with 8-h intervals for 10 days. The results of the administration of the drug in a single dose or in a course were controlled on clinical observation and by instrumental examination including electro- and echocardiography, tetrapolar chest rheography and indirect measurement of pressure in the pulmonary artery (PPA). PPA direct measurement was performed in 8 patients. At both altitudes corinfar resulted in the improvement of the patients' general status, postexercise recovery reduction, a decrease in PPA and mitral regurgitation volume, and an increase in the efficacy of cardiac pump function. Corinfar did not make any noticeable effect on preload and myocardial contractility. Therefore the drug can be recommended for multimodality therapy of CCF both in the high- and lowlands.