The influence of nifedipine (Corinfar) on pulmonary hypertension in chronic obstructive lung disease

Calcium antagonists may provide an effective approach to the treatment of pulmonary hypertension disorders. Under this aspect we examined 44 patients by right heart catheterisation at rest and at exercise before and after sublingual application of a single dose of 20 mg nifedipine (Corinfar) as well as under continuous dosage of 30-60 mg daily. In patients with latent pulmonary hypertension we ascertained an efficient significant decrease of PAP, 15 of 18 patients were responders. This protective effect persists in the longterm studies after 1 year as well as after 2 years at equal magnitude. In patients with manifest pulmonary hypertension the influence on pulmonary hemodynamics was not so efficient. This behaviour is caused by morphological fixation of pulmonary hypertension. Therefore the determination of magnitude of pulmonary hypertension by right heart catheterisation is necessary for evaluation of nifedipine therapy.