Cardiopulmonary effects of a single oral dose of almitrine at rest and on exercise in patients with hypoxic chronic airflow obstruction.
Almitrine, a new triazine derivative, was studied in a double-blind, randomized, parallel study in 16 patients with hypoxic chronic airflow obstruction (eight almitrine and eight placebo). At rest, compared to placebo, a 3 mg/kg single dose of almitrine given orally significantly increased the partial pressure of oxygen (mean increase: +12.0 +/- SEM 2.1 mm Hg, p less than 0.001) and decreased the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (mean decrease: -6.0 +/- 0.7 mm Hg, p less than 0.001); this improvement in arterial blood gases persisted on exercise. The lack of significant change in ventilation and the decrease in the alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient (mean decrease -10.0 +/- 1.9 mm Hg; p less than 0.001) at rest suggests a change in the distribution of the ventilation-perfusion ratio in the lung; such a change was confirmed by a krypton 81m isotopic study. Pulmonary hemodynamic responses were studied at rest and on exercise; a significant but slight increase in mean pulmonary artery pressure at rest (+4.0 +/- 1.5 mm Hg, p less than 0.05) was found.
Simonneau
G
G
Meignan
M
M
Denjean
A
A
Raffestin
B
B
Harf
A
A
Prost
J F
JF
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015765:Almitrine; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D005082:Physical Exertion; D010879:Piperazines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange / Q000187:drug effects; D011897:Random Allocation; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D010879:Piperazines; D015765:Almitrine