Acute hemodynamic effect and mechanism of nifedipine on severe congestive heart failure
Feng, Q.P.; Yin, H.Q.; Chen, R.X.; Chen, X.Y.; Chen, D.G.
Chinese Medical Journal 101(5): 315-319
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0366-6999 PMID: 3145830 Document Number: 311511
The acute hemodynamic effect of oral nifedipine 20 mg in 15 patients with severe congestive heart failure (CHF) and sequential changes of plasma catecholamines in 10 of 15 patients was investigated. Nifedipine improved the hemodynamic status in most severe CHF patients with the decrease of mean arterial pressure, systemic vascular resistance, pulmonary vascular resistance and pulmonary artery end-diastolic pressure, and the increase of cardiac output, cardiac index, stroke volume and stroke work index. After administration of nifedipine, heart rate did not change, while plsma norepinephrine and double product of HR and systolic blood pressure decreased. The mechanism of improvement of CHF by nifedipine is mainly due to the reduction of afterload. It seems that nifedipine can be safely used in most severe CHF patients.