[Cardiovascular effect of prostaglandin E 2 in early pregnancy]

In 10 normotensive healthy women between the 8th and 12th week of pregnancy complete cardiovascular studies were done before, during and after the intravenous administration of Prostaglandin E2 with the method of quantitative sphygmometry, unbloody measuring of the arterial blood pressure and direct electronical timing of the pulse wave velocity in the aorta. Prostaglandin E2 was infused with electric pump in the dosage of 0.65, 1.3 and 2.6 mug per minute for 30 minutes in each case. Arterial blood pressure and heart rate remains constant. Elasticity coefficient E' of the arteries and total peripheral resistance decreases, stroke volume, cardiac output, work and power of the heart increases significantly. These reactions of the cardiovascular system are much more pronounced than using Prostaglandin F2-alpha. Therefore prostaglandin E2 is characterized in relation to prostaglandin F2-alpha not only by a stronger uterine effectiveness, but also at the same time a pronounced influence on the cardiovascular system.