[Dilatation of epicardial coronary vessels by intravenous diltiazem in patients with coronary heart disease].

UNLABELLED: Coronary diameters and central hemodynamics were measured in 22 patients with stable coronary artery disease before and after 20 mg of intravenous diltiazem. Coronary diameters from high quality biplane coronary angiograms were calculated as mean values after caliper measurements of identical segments. Measurements were made in angiographically normal and abnormal proximal, middle and distal vessel segments. Central hemodynamics showed a significant decrease for heart rate, mean aortic pressure and peripheral resistance (p less than 0.001). Coronary diameters increased between 2 and 16% (proximal or distal segments). Diameter increases were statistically significant for all segments (p less than 0.001) except for proximal atherosclerotic segments. These hemodynamic and diameter changes were seen after 5, 10 and 20 minutes.

CONCLUSION: Intravenous diltiazem shows an acute coronary dilative effect in patients with stable coronary artery disease. This effect is regarded as one of the essential antianginal actions of the drug.