[Vasodilator agents in pulmonary artery hypertension of systemic scleroderma]

An acute haemodynamic study was carried out prospectively in 6 patients fulfilling the diagnostic criteria of systemic sclerosis with pulmonary arterial hypertension. This study consisted of 7 baseline measurements and the effect of 6 drugs administered intravenously and known for their effects as vasodilators in the literature. These results were compared to those obtained on 44 patients suffering from pulmonary arterial hypertension previously studied at Hospital A.-Béclère. The prostacyclin (PGI2) possesses a very potent vasodilator effect, lowering the total pulmonary vascular resistance by 29% in patients suffering from scleroderma. As well as PGI2 phentolamine and hydralazine seemed to possess an acute vasodilator action which is certainly not negligible.