Does nitroglycerin show the properties of a selective venodilator?
Lebedinskiĭ, K.M.; Puzanova, I.V.; Parvanian, S.G.; Kurapeev, I.S.
Anesteziologiia i Reanimatologiia 2007(5): 51-55
2007
ISSN/ISBN: 0201-7563 PMID: 18051493 Document Number: 612198
The central hemodynamic effect of continuous intravenous nitroglycerin infusion at an increasing rate (0.01-0.1 mu g center dot kg(-1)center dot min(-1)) was evaluated by noninvasive (tetrapolar rheography) and invasive (pulmonary arterial catheterization) techniques. The study included 10 healthy volunteers and 30 patients having usual indications for nitroglycerin infusion. The findings suggest that when even infused at low rates, nitroglycerin canses mainly arteriolar vasodilatation, which appears as increased stroke volume due to the predominance of diminished postload over lowered preload. It is obvious that the notion of nitroglycerin as a selective venodilator should be revised.