title: Effect of verapamil on left ventricular function: a randomized, placebo-controlled study.
abstract: Verapamil has a negative inotropic action in isolated cardiac muscle. Its effects on left ventricular function were tested in 25 patients with suspected coronary artery disease. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study design was used. Verapamil (0.2 mg/kg over 10 minutes) significantly lowered mean arterial pressure (from 105 to 89 mm Hg) while increasing the cardiac index (from 2.8 to 3.1 liters/min/m2). No statistically significant effect was seen on heart rate, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure or end-systolic volume index, ejection fraction, peak rates of systolic wall thickening or diastolic wall thinning, or percentage of hemiaxial shortening. However, there was a small increase in the left ventricular end-diastolic volume index (from 94 to 102 ml/m2). Important findings were a reduction in systemic vascular resistance (from 39 to 30 U . m2), an increase in left ventricular end-diastolic volume index consistent with a negative inotropic effect, and no evidence of improved regional wall dynamics in portions of the left ventricular wall considered hypokinetic because of myocardial ischemia.
mesh_terms: D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010919:Placebos; D011897:Random Allocation; D014700:Verapamil / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; D014700:Verapamil