title: Comparison of the haemodynamic effects of epoprostenol (prostacyclin) and tolazoline.
abstract: The haemodynamic effects of infusion of epoprostenol (prostacyclin) and bolus injection of tolazoline were compared in a crossover study in 11 children with pulmonary hypertension caused by pulmonary vascular disease. The children were studied during cardiac catheterisation, while they were anaesthetised, paralysed, and ventilated with 100% oxygen. The order of drug administration was not randomised because tolazoline has a half life of hours whereas epoprostenol has a half life of a few minutes. Both drugs caused pulmonary and systemic vasodilatation, and there were no significant differences between the two. The 95% confidence intervals suggest that tolazoline did not have a clinically important haemodynamic advantage over epoprostenol. Previous reports suggest that serious side effects are common when tolazoline is used in repeated doses; epoprostenol has only a few minor side effects that are rapidly reversible when the infusion is stopped. Epoprostenol is more expensive than tolazoline but this study suggests that epoprostenol is a more suitable pulmonary vasodilator if more than a single dose is required.
mesh_terms: D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007223:Infant; D011669:Pulmonary Wedge Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D014043:Tolazoline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D014043:Tolazoline; D011464:Epoprostenol