title: Hemodynamic effects of nifedipine at rest and during exercise in primary pulmonary hypertension.
abstract: The potential short-term pulmonary vasodilator effect of a calcium-channel blocker, nifedipine, was tested in seven patients with primary pulmonary hypertension. Nifedipine (20 mg) produced a significant (p less than 0.01) and persistent decrease in mean pulmonary arterial pressure (58.1 +/- 14.3 to 48.6 +/- 16.3 mm Hg) and pulmonary vascular resistance (1,070 +/- 260 to 695 +/- 266 dynes X sec X cm-5). Cardiac index increased from 2.5 +/- 0.6 to 3.3 +/- 0.8 L/min/m2 (p less than 0.01), and heart rate was unchanged despite a fall in systemic pressure. In three patients tested during exercise on a bicycle, nifedipine resulted in an increase in the duration of exercise in two and a blunting of the exercise-induced increase in pulmonary pressure in all three. Long-term treatment was initiated in five of the seven patients and in two additional patients who did not receive nifedipine in the short-term study; all but one experienced symptomatic improvement. A persistent hemodynamic improvement was observed in three of the four patients restudied after long-term therapy. In conclusion, this study demonstrated the short-term beneficial hemodynamic effects of nifedipine, both at rest and during exercise. A more extensive long-term follow-up is necessary to establish the usefulness of this drug in the treatment of primary pulmonary hypertension.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005082:Physical Exertion; D012146:Rest
chemical_list: D009543:Nifedipine