[Central venous injection of large amounts of contrast media--advantages of a low osmolar contrast medium in experimentally-induced pulmonary hypertension].

Intravenous administration of contrast material is a prerequisite for the imaging of the cardiovascular system with computed tomography and digital subtraction techniques. Fatal side effects after intravenous contrast injection, particularly in patients with pulmonary hypertension, have been reported repeatedly. The object of this study was to compare hemodynamic side effects of a conventional, ionic contrast medium (amidotrizoate; 2.1 osmol/kg) and a modern, non-ionic compound (iopamidol; 0.8 osmol/kg) after intravenous bolus injection (1.5 ml/kg). Experiments were carried out in 10 open-chest dogs with pulmonary normotension and hypertension induced by embolisation. Under control conditions (PPA = 19.9 mm Hg) both contrast media produced marked pulmonary and peripheral vasodilation. Major effects were seen after amidotrizoate (RPULM 60.3%, RPERI 32.1% vs 72.5% and 70.4% of controls). In pulmonary hypertension (PPA = 44.2 mmHg), iopamidol had similar hemodynamic effects compared to control conditions. In contrast, amidotrizoate initially led to a significant increase in pulmonary pressure and resistance (PPA = 118.6%; RPULM = 141.7%) followed by a delayed depression of right ventricular function (dP/dt = 65.3%; PRVED = 180.9%). Resuscitation was required in 3 dogs with pulmonary hypertension after amidotrizoate injection. Because of these unfavorable hemodynamic side effects of the conventional high osmolality contrast medium in animal experiments, it can be expected that modern compounds with low osmolality pruduce smaller side effects during diognostic interventions in patients with pulmonary hypertension.