[Hemodynamic effects of inhaled nitric oxide in patients with pulmonary hypertension].

12 patients with pulmonary hypertension, primary pulmonary hypertension 3, secondary to recurrent pulmonary embolism 4, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 2, and complicated with congenital heart disease 3, inhaled nitric oxide (NO). The NO concentration was adjusted in the range between 20-160 ppm to get a maximum hemodynamic effects. On inhaling NO, pulmonary artery pressure decreased in all patients. The maximum hemodynamic effects showed that pulmonary systolic, diastolic and mean artery pressure dropped by 22.9%, 21.0% and 20.3% (P < 0.001) respectively. Total pulmonary resistance decreased by 32.7% (P < 0.01). Cardiac index and oxygen delivery increased by 33.2% and 24.8% (P < 0.01) respectively. The ratio of pulmonary systolic artery pressure and systemic systolic artery pressure changed from the baseline 0.73 to 0.54. It is indicated that NO dilated pulmonary artery selectively in patients with hyperkinetic, obliterative and hypoxic pulmonary hypertension.