Nitroglycerin in a transdermal therapeutic system in chronic heart failure.

Nitroglycerin (NTG) in a transdermal therapeutic system (TTS) was evaluated in 16 patients with severe chronic heart failure. Eight patients were given NTG TTS with an in vivo release rate of 5 mg/24 h. No significant changes in heart rate or blood pressure were observed. Pulmonary capillary wedge (PCW) pressure was reduced significantly from a control value of 29 +/- 4 mm Hg to 17 +/- 2 mm Hg after 1 h (p less than 0.01), and significant reduction was maintained for 24 h. The system was then removed and PCW pressure rose to 27 +/- 2 mm Hg after 2 h. NTG TTS, 10 mg/24 h, was applied and PCW pressure was again reduced significantly. Significant reduction in systemic vascular resistance and increases in cardiac and stroke volume indices occurred on the first day at 4 h but were not maintained. In another eight patients, the haemodynamic effects of NTG TTS (5 mg/24 h), oral isosorbide dinitrate (20 mg), and topical NTG ointment (1 inch) were compared. Significant reductions in PCW pressure were achieved with each method of treatment, but no significant alterations in other haemodynamic measurements were observed. Haemodynamic reevaluation of 10 patients treated with NTG TTS for 3 months showed partial attenuation of the reduction in PCW pressure compared with the initial response.