[Comparison between the hemodynamic effects of nitroglycerine ointment and oral isosorbide dinitrate in the treatment of left ventricular failure (author's transl)].

The hemodynamic effects of standard dose of Nitroglycerin (NTG) ointment (23 +/- 4 mg) and oral Isosorbide Dinitrate (ISDN) 10 mg were compared in the treatment of left ventricular failure. Ten patients, 8 males and 2 females (mean age 59 +/- 9 years), affected by acute myocardial infarction (7 cases). Ischemic cardiomyopathy (2 cases) and hypertensive cardiomyopathy (1 case) were submitted to right heart catheterization by triple lumen Swan-Ganz catheter. Heart Rate (HR), mean Arterial Pressure (AP), Right Atrial Pressure (RAP), mean Pulmonary Artery Pressure (PAP), Pulmonary Wedge Pressure (PWP), Stroke volume (SV), Cardiac Index (CI), Stroke Work Index (SWI), Systemic Vascular Resistances (SVR), Pulmonary Total Resistances (PTR) were controlled every 30 minutes until the disappearance of the hemodynamic effects. ISDN did not produce any statistically significant changes; on the contrary NTG ointment caused significant changes in: (formula: see text). Decrease of RAP, PAP, PWP, PTR and increase of SV, CI, SWI were statistically significant from 30 until 180 minutes after NTG ointment administration. These changes were statistically different from those produced by ISDN (p less than 0,05). Thus NTG ointment, at this dose, improved cardiac performance, while oral ISDN 10 mg did not. It is concluded that the hemodynamic effects of NTG ointment are prompt and sustained.