Oxygen and tolazoline as vasodilators in pulmonary arterial hypertension secondary to high pulmonary blood flow
Salgado-Escobar, J.L.; Ledesma-Velasco, M.; Munayer-Calderón, J.; Núñez-Garduño, D.; Salas-López, M.E.; Rodríguez-Hernández, L.
Boletin Medico del Hospital Infantil de Mexico 44(3): 137-142
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0539-6115 PMID: 3580096 Document Number: 303985
Thirty four pediatric patients with congenital heart disease and left to right or bidirectional shunt were subjected to cardiac catheterization. All of them had severe pulmonary hypertension. A comparison was made between the vasodilator effect of 100% oxygen inhalation and the direct application, in the pulmonary artery, of an adrenergic blocking agent, tolazoline. Both substances were effective for blocking the hypoxic vasoconstriction in those patients without advanced pulmonary vascular disease. In these cases a significant statistical decrease of systolic and mean pulmonary pressures (p < 0.001) as well as pulmonary vascular resistances was observed. A good correlation between both vasodilators was found (r = 0.70). Considering that oxygen inhalation is usually exent of risk, we advise the priority use of the gas in order to separate those reactive forms of pulmonary hypertension from those with advanced structural damage.