Comparison of hemodynamic effects induced by pentaformilgitoxin and deslanoside in patients with heart failure

The effect of pentaformilgitoxin and deslanoside on heart rate, blood pressure and cardiac output was compared in six patients with heart failure. Pentaformilgitoxin caused an increase of cardiac output from 3361 ml/min to 4183 ml/min (p less than 0.01). Deslanoside induced a non significant increase of cardiac output from 3617 to 3848 ml/min. Heart rate decreased significantly by both drugs: the reduction was greater after deslanoside (from 93.7 to 77.5 beats/min) than after pentaformilgitoxin (from 92 to 85 beats/min). Both drugs caused a comparable increase in stroke volume.