[Blood volume displacement under oral dihydroergotamine during orthostatic strain (author's transl)]

During the course of a double-blind study in 30 orthostatically unstable adolescent subjects, the effect of oral dihydroergotamine (DHE) on the orthostatic circulatory regulation was examined. During standardized orthostatic strain the volume of blood sinking into the two legs is statistically significantly reduced to 125 +/- 61 ml (29%) under the influence of DHE after standing for only 11 sec. Furthermore, there is a significant reduction of the maximal arterial influx into the lower extremities as well as the resting heart rate and the maximal heart rate during orthostatic strain. No significant changes could be detected in the placebo group. Consequently, DHE is suitalbe for the treatment of the these disturbances of orthostatic circulatory regulation due to increased elasticity of the capacitive vessels in the lower extremities.