title: A preliminary double-blind study of intravenous nitroglycerin in acute myocardial infarction.
abstract: A preliminary double-blind, placebo-controlled study of the effects of a 48-h intravenous infusion of nitroglycerin (NG) in 140 patients with acute myocardial infarction has been carried out. The patients were randomised to placebo or active treatment within 12 h of the onset of symptoms. Those patients treated with nitroglycerin showed a significant reduction on both days in systolic blood pressure, haemoglobin concentration, and packed cell volume. There was also a significant reduction in diamorphine usage in the first 24 h. There was a higher incidence (non-significant) of dysrhythmia in the placebo group despite an increased usage of antidysrhythmic therapy. The mortality rate in the placebo group was 13%, and 7.8% in the active treatment group, but this difference was not significant. At the 3-month follow-up, 83% of treated patients as opposed to 60% of placebo group were able to resume normal or near-normal activities. Preliminary findings suggest that intravenous NG may be useful treatment for patients with acute myocardial infarction and a larger-scale trial is warranted.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007022:Hypotension / Q000139:chemically induced; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005996:Nitroglycerin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011897:Random Allocation
chemical_list: D005996:Nitroglycerin