[Effect of single dose administration of nitrendipine on pulmonary arterial pressure measured using doppler...

The effect of a single oral dose of Nitrendipine (20 mg) on mean pulmonary arterial pressure was studied in 14 patients with COPD and chronic cor pulmonale and 12 patients with COPD and without coexistent cor pulmonale. Parameters were assessed with Doppler echocardiography calculating average acceleration time of blood from the pulmonary artery. Simultaneously arterial pressure and heart rate were determined. The authors found that a single oral dose (20 mg) of Nitrendipine significantly lowered elevated pressure in the pulmonary artery during at least 6 hours without effecting heart rate.