Prophylactic digitalization preoperatively of patients with arteriosclerotic heart disease.

This study was undertaken to investigate the hemodynamic effect of prophylactic digitalization before major surgical procedures. Sixteen patients, all admitted for an elective vascular operation for arteriosclerotic disease and all with impaired left ventricular function, were investigated. In half of the patients, digitalis was given before the operation, the other half of the patients served as the control study. The measured parameters were pulmonary artery mean pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, central venous pressure, mean arterial blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac output, blood volume and arterial, as well as venous, oxygen content. Preoperatively, before digitalization, no significant differences were noted between the two groups at rest and during exercise. Before anesthesia and postoperatively, those given digitalis had improved cardiac function. Those in both groups, however, had a normal hemodynamic response to the surgical trauma. In this study, a definite answer is not provided concerning the usefulness of prophylactic digitalization but an increase in the ability of the digitalized heart to withstand the imposition of a pressure load postoperatively is suggested.