title: Long-term use of K-strophanthin in advanced congestive heart failure due to dilated cardiomyopathy: a double-blind crossover evaluation versus digoxin.
abstract: K-strophanthin or digoxin were added to diuretics (all cases) and vasodilators (most cases) for treating advanced congestive heart failure in 22 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and sinus rhythm. K-strophanthin (0.125 mg intravenously) or digoxin (0.25 mg orally) were administered daily in two 3-month periods, during which vasodilators and diuretics were kept constant and patients received one of the two digitalis preparations in a double-blind fashion, crossing over to the alternative preparation in the next period. Blindness was assured throughout the trial with a daily intravenous injection of 10 ml normal saline solution either containing K-strophanthin or not, and with daily oral administration of either placebo or active digoxin. At the end of the run-in period, 15 days after starting active preparations, and thereafter every month for the next 6 months, we evaluated left ventricular pump function at rest and patients' functional performance by a cardiopulmonary exercise test. At Day 15, cardiac index and ejection fraction at rest, compared with run-in, were significantly raised with both glycosides; during exercise while on K-strophanthin, peak oxygen consumption was augmented by 1.4 ml/min/kg (p < 0.01) and oxygen consumption at anaerobic threshold by 2.2 ml/min/kg (p < 0.01); corresponding variations on digoxin (-0.1 and +0.3, respectively) were not significant versus run-in. These patterns were duplicated at repeated tests during follow-up.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Cardiologia dell' Università degli Studi, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Agostoni
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Doria
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berti
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Guazzi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015308:Anaerobic Threshold; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000150:complications*; D004077:Digoxin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000187:drug effects; D013328:Strophanthins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D013328:Strophanthins; D004077:Digoxin; C029082:strophanthin K