title: Short term effect of diltiazem on portal hypertension in patients with non-cirrhotic portal fibrosis.
abstract: Fourteen patients of non-cirrhotic portal fibrosis (NCPF) with portal hypertension were put on oral diltiazem hydrochloride (90 mg/day) or placebo on a prospective, randomised, single blind basis for 15 days. Predrug hemodynamic and biochemical status were similar in both groups. Diltiazem produced significant reduction (p less than 0.001) in mean intrasplenic pressure: from 41.88 (SD +/- 6.18) to 21.5 (+/- 7.91) cm of normal saline as against 45.56 (+/- 9.45) to 43.33 (+/- 8.27) in the placebo group. Mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate and cardiac output (CO) did not change in either group. Thus, the calcium channel blocker diltiazem reduces portal pressure in patients with NCPF, independent of reduction in MAP and CO; this is advantageous in situations where compromised cardiac hemodynamics may prove deleterious.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Medical College Hospitals, Calcutta.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chakraborty
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D004110:Diltiazem / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005355:Fibrosis; D006801:Humans; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011168:Portal System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D004110:Diltiazem