The effects of felodipine on left ventricular function in beta-blocked patients

Felodipine is a dihydropyridine calcium antagonist which has a positive inotropic effect in the dog in vivo. However to date, no inotropic effects have been described in man. Thus, the solvent for the intravenous administration of the drug was infused, followed by the active solution, in 9 beta-blocked patients undergoing coronary angiography; heart rate was held constant by atrial pacing. Haemodynamic variables were measured with the Mills combined left ventricular catheter-tip manometer and aortic electromagnetic blood velocity transducer. In all patients, peripheral vasodilatation was observed. In 8 patients, this was accompanied by a 9 to 50% increase in maximum rate of rise of left ventricular pressure indicating a small positive inotropic effect.