Hemodynamic activity of different doses of sulmazole by infusion

By means of right heart catheterisation and thermodilution the hemodynamic response to two different doses of 2-[2-methoxy-4-(methylsulfinyl) phenyl]-1H-imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (sulmazole, AR-L 115 BS, Vardax) (1.5 mg or 0.7 mg/min) was determined in 10 hospitalized patients with congestive cardiac insufficiency. It was found that sulmazole has a marked positive inotropic effect, increasing the cardiac output and stroke work index and decreasing the peripheral systemic and pulmonary vascular resistance, almost without altering the blood pressure values; furthermore, it reduces the right atrial pressure, the pulmonary capillary pressure and the pulmonary arterial pressure. Tolerance of sulmazole was excellent; no tachyphylaxis nor rebound reactions were observed during the 36-h period of medication.