Inhaled nitric oxide in patients with severe heart failure: changes in lung perfusion and ventilation detected using scintigraphy.
Inhaled nitric oxide (NO) is a selective pulmonary vasodilator in patients with end-stage cardiac failure. Preoperative high pulmonary vascular resistance could modify early and late results after heart transplantation generally due to right-ventricular failure. Aim of this study was to assess pulmonary vascular resistance variability following inhalation of NO by using a scintigraphic method. Our preliminary results suggest that inhaled NO in patients with end-stage heart failure redistributes blood away from apical regions and towards more basal and posterior segments, probably dilating blood vessels in ventilated but nonperfused zones. NO may represent a simple and reliable method to evaluate dynamic response of pulmonary vasculature.
Speziale
G
G
Department of Experimental Medicine, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
De Biase
L
L
De Vincentis
G
G
Ierardi
M
M
Ruvolo
G
G
La Francesca
S
S
Scopinaro
F
F
Marino
B
B
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D008168:Lung / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects; D014692:Ventilation-Perfusion Ratio / Q000187:drug effects*
D009569:Nitric Oxide