[Prolonged hemodynamic effects of pentaerythrityl tetranitrate combined with piridoxylate]

Long acting nitrate derivatives have varying hemodynamic effects of a piridoxilate-pentaerithrityle tetranitrate administration. The purpose of this study was to assess the hemodynamic effects of a piridoxilate-pentaerithrityle tetranitrate compound and measure their duration of action. The study was carried out in 11 patients with left ventricular incompetence. All other medications, except for anticoagulants, had been discontinued 5 days earlier and patients fasted during the investigations. Each patient was given the active product (100 mg pentaerithrityle tetranitrate) and the placebo orally, under double blind conditions. Pulmonary vascular pressure, peripheral arterial pressure, heart rate and cardiac output were measured over 8 hours for 2 consecutive days. The results show a decrease in the left ventricular preload from the 30th minute to the eighth hour, which is statistically significant from the first to the fourth hour. No changes were recorded in the postload or in any of the other parameters measured or derived. These findings suggest that the compound has an anti-anginal action by diminishing the pressure in the ventricular wall and reverses pulmonary edema in left ventricular failure. The long duration of action (at least 8 hours) allows prolonged dosage intervals.