title: Pulmonary function tests in patients with congestive heart failure: effects of medical therapy.
abstract: In a group of 13 patients with severe heart failure, both forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) significantly improved after intensive medical therapy (FVC: from 77 +/- 17 to 92 +/- 20%, p < 0.001; FEV1: from 65 +/- 15 to 81 +/- 15%, p < 0.001) in the absence of change in M-mode echo cardiac dimension and left ventricular systolic function; on the other hand, a change of indices of left ventricular filling by Doppler transmitral flow was documented (E/A ratio: from 3.6 +/- 1.2 to 1.65 +/- 1.5, p < 0.01; early filling deceleration time: from 94 +/- 39 to 178 +/- 78 ms, p < 0.01), indicating a reduction of pulmonary capillary pressure; this probably positively affected pulmonary interstitial edema and bronchial wall congestion, thus enhancing pulmonary function.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, S. Orsola Hospital, Brescia, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Faggiano
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lombardi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sorgato
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ghizzoni
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Spedini
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rusconi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002216:Captopril / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004077:Digoxin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004280:Dobutamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000187:drug effects*; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005665:Furosemide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007548:Isosorbide Dinitrate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D005996:Nitroglycerin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014797:Vital Capacity / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D009599:Nitroprusside; D004280:Dobutamine; D004077:Digoxin; D005665:Furosemide; D002216:Captopril; D005996:Nitroglycerin; D007548:Isosorbide Dinitrate; C030397:isosorbide-5-mononitrate