title: Impaired vasodilatation response to amrinone in the forearm of patients with congestive heart failure: role of endothelium-derived nitric oxide.
abstract: Recent in vitro experiments have shown that amrinone enhances the release of nitric oxide (NO) from the endothelium and induces NO mediated vasodilatation. This in vivo study examined whether amrinone causes vasodilatation mediated by endothelium-derived NO, and whether this effect is attenuated in patients with endothelial dysfunction. Eight patients with congestive heart failure and 10 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers were studied. Forearm blood flow (FBF) was measured before and during infusion of drugs of acetylcholine, amrinone, and nitroglycerin in incremental doses. After the completion of these measurements, 100 micromol of N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA) was infused intraarterially. Thereafter, FBF measurement in response to incremental doses of amrinone was repeated. Infusion of incremental doses of amrinone caused a comparable increase in amrinone plasma concentration in both groups. Baseline FBF was 3.2+/-0.79 ml/min/100 ml in controls vs. 2.91+/-0.79 ml/min/100 ml in patients (p = 0.43). In both groups, FBF increased in response to acetylcholine, amrinone, and nitroglycerin. During infusion of the highest dose of nitroglycerin, FBF was not different between the two groups (p = 0.51); however, FBF during infusion of the highest doses of acetylcholine and amrinone was significantly less in patients than in controls: 9.75+/-2.69 vs. 24.87+/-8.65 ml/min/100 ml (p < 0.001) and 3.79+/-1.21 vs. 7.15+/-2.06 ml/min/100 ml (p < 0.001), respectively. L-NMMA significantly depressed the increase in FBF in response to amrinone in controls, but not in patients. In conclusion, the selective PDE III inhibitor, amrinone, has endothelium-derived NO-mediated vasodilating effects in addition to direct effects. This property may be impaired in patients with endothelial dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: The Fourth Department of Internal Medicine, Shimane Medical University, Izumo City, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakane
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sugamori
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hirano
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohata
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Murakami
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology; D000368:Aged; D000676:Amrinone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm / Q000098:blood supply*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D005996:Nitroglycerin / Q000494:pharmacology; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C496314:NOS3 protein, human; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D005996:Nitroglycerin; D000676:Amrinone; D000109:Acetylcholine