[Carvedilol in treating primary pulmonary hypertension patients: effect on severity of cardiac failure, degree of pulmonary hypertension, concentration of catecholamines in blood plasma and dependence of cyclic AMP synthesis in lymphocytes on beta-adrenergic receptors].

AIM: To evaluate carvedilol effect on clinical state, norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (E) plasma concentration and lymphocyte beta 2-adrenoreceptor dependent cAMP synthesis in patients with primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH).

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

14 patients with PPH were included in the study; 9 patients were treated by carvedilol; 5 patients were in the control group. The primary efficiency parameters were submaximal exercise measured by 60 min walk test, systolic pulmonary artery pressure (SPAP) measured by Doppler echocardiography, heart rate (HR) measured by 24-hour ECG-monitoring.

RESULTS

One month carvedilol treatment of PPH patients resulted in a significant HR reduction. There was a tendency to SPAP decrease, the 6-minute walk test results improved in IIINYHA patients.

CONCLUSION

Carvedilol therapy improves clinical state and evoked lymphocyte beta 2-adrenoceptor resensitization in PPH patients.