[Treatment of chronic cardiac failure with cadralazine. Short- and medium-term results]

The clinical and haemodynamic effects of a single oral dose of cadralazine were studied in 22 patients with an average age of 64 years presenting with severe chronic cardiac failure. Haemodynamic monitoring during the first 24 hours after oral administration of 30 mg of cadralazine showed a peak increase at the 8th hour of the cardiac index (+ 64 p. 100, p less than 0.001), the systolic index (+ 45 p. 100, p less than 0.001) and the left ventricular work (+ 52 p. 100, p less than 0.001) whilst the systemic and pulmonary arterial resistances decreased by 40 p. 100 (p less than 0.0001) and 30 p. 100 (p less than 0.01) respectively. There was no significant change in heart rate or diastolic pulmonary arterial pressures. The haemodynamic improvement was maintained at the 24th hour (cardiac index + 35 p. 100, p less than 0.01 and systemic arterial resistances - 20 p. 100). These results were confirmed at one month. There were few side effects, none of which necessitated withdrawal of the drug. This study shows the efficacy of a single 30 mg daily dose of cadralazine, an arterial vasodilator, in patients with severe cardiac failure. The treatment was well tolerated over the one month study period.