Effect of muzolimine in aortic insufficiency with different levels of left ventricular function

The effect of muzolimine (initial dose 60 mg followed by 30 mg/day for 14 days) on 15 patients with aortic and mitral incompetence and chronic cardiac failure, functional class 3, was analyzed on the basis of repeated clinical observations, metabolic studies as well as mono and bidimensional echo changes 2, 24 hours and 15 days after the initial dose. An important variation was a reduction in body weight by 3-4% after the first day and by a further 1-2% after 2 weeks. No significant variations were observed regarding heart rate and blood pressure at rest. Plasma level of electrolytes as well as other important biochemical parameters in the serum (BUN, glucose and creatinine) were uninfluenced. A small increase was observed in both the plasma level of chloride and in the red cell count. Urine volume increased by two to threefold after the first day; this increase was still present after 2 weeks. Changes in the left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes were not significant after the first day; however a slight but significant reduction was observed after 2 weeks and was in parallel with the improvement of the functional class of the patients. Data, in particular the possible mode of action of muzolimine after acute administration and after short-term therapy, are discussed.