Comparison of acute haemodynamic effects of nifedipine and isosorbide dinitrate in patients with heart failure following acute myocardial infarction.

The acute haemodynamic effects of nifedipine (10 mg sublingually) and isosorbide dinitrate (5 mg sublingually) were compared in 13 patients with heart failure due to acute myocardial infarction. Nifedipine induced a significant reduction in systolic (from 122 +/- 5 to 107 +/- 3 mm Hg: mean +/- SEM; P less than 0.002) and diastolic blood pressure (from 85 +/- 3 to 75 +/- 2 mm Hg; P less than 0.01). Heart rate did not change significantly, nor did mean right atrial pressure. The mean pulmonary arterial pressure was lowered from 31 +/- 2 to 27 +/- 2 mm Hg (P less than 0.005). The left ventricular filling pressure decreased from 24 +/- 1 to 19 +/- 1 mm Hg (P less than 0.0001). A significant increase in cardiac index (from 2.33 +/- 0.13 to 2.69 +/- 0.15 l/min per m2; P less than 0.001) and in stroke volume index (from 24 +/- 2 to 28 +/- 2 ml/beats per m2; P less than 0.005) was registered. Systemic vascular resistance fell from 1742 +/- 145 to 1308 +/- 85 dynes/sec per cm-5 (P less than 0.00005). After isosorbide dinitrate was administered a significant reduction in mean right atrial pressure (from 9.5 +/- 1.6 to 5.1 +/- 1.2 mm Hg; P less than 0.0001), in mean pulmonary arterial pressure (from 32 +/- 1 to 23 +/- 1 mm Hg; P less than 0.00001) and in left ventricular filling pressure (from 23 +/- 1 to 16 +/- 1 mm Hg; P less than 0.0001) was seen. No significant change in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac index, stroke volume index and systemic vascular resistance was registered. No side-effects were seen after nifedipine and isosorbide dinitrate were administered.