[The effect of oxedrine on the left ventricle and peripheral vascular resistance].

The sympathomimetic substance oxedrine (Sympatol) influences, by means of its affinity to alpha- and beta-receptors, cardiac performance and peripheral vascular tone. We studied in 12 healthy male volunteers the influence of intravenous oxedrine on left ventricular contractility parameters as estimated by TM-echocardiography, on cardiac index as well as on arterial blood pressure and peripheral vascular resistance. Under continuous intravenous infusion of 4 mg/min oxedrine the systolic and mean arterial blood pressure increased significantly (p less than 0.005) while the diastolic pressure and heart rate remained unchanged. The cardiac index increased (p less than 0.001) and the peripheral vascular resistance decreased significantly (p less than 0.01). The echocardiographically determined left ventricular contractility parameters, i.e. systolic shortening fraction (SF) as well as maximal velocity of shortening of the left ventricular diameter (VCFmin) also increased significantly (p less than 0.001 and 0.005, resp.). An increase in left ventricular contractility and cardiac index with concomitant decrease of peripheral vascular resistance and without increase in heart rate implies an economical increase in cardiac performance under intravenous infusion of oxedrine.