title: Hemodynamic improvement after oral hydralazine in left ventricular failure: a comparison with nitroprusside infusion in 16 patients.
abstract: Hydralazine was administered in a single oral dose of 50 to 100 mg in 16 patients with left ventricular failure due to cardiomyopathy. It produced sustained effects for at least 4 h characterized by a significant increase in cardiac output, a reduction in arterial and pulmonary arterial pressure, and a slight rise in heart rate. When compared to nitroprusside infusion in these same patients, hydralazine produced a similar reduction in systemic vascular resistance but a slightly greater increase in cardiac index (0.74 versus 0.95 litres/min-m2), with a lesser fall in mean arterial pressure (7.8 versus 13.6 mm Hg, P less than 0.01), mean pulmonary arterial pressure (4.2 versus 11.3 mm Hg, P less than 0.001), and pulmonary wedge pressure (5.5 versus 9.9 mm Hg, P less than 0.001). Forearm venous tone decreased and venous compliance increased during nitroprusside infusion, but they were unchanged after hydralazine therapy. These data suggest that hydralazine may be a useful agent in the treatment of chronic left ventricular failure.
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000187:drug effects; D005292:Ferricyanides / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006352:Heart Ventricles; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006830:Hydralazine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D005292:Ferricyanides; D009599:Nitroprusside; D006830:Hydralazine