HEMODYNAMIC-EFFECTS OF AN INTRACORONARILY APPLIED NEW TRANSPULMONARY ECHO CONTRAST AGENT

Aim A new transpulmonary echo contrast agent (SH U 508) was injected i ntracoronally to six anaesthetised sheep to examine its possible direc t cardiac effects. Method SH U 508 was injected in randomised order in three different volumes (2, 4 and 8 ml; n = 12, 10, 9) with the same drug concentration of 200 mg/ml. Results The 2 mi and 4 mi injections had no relevant effect on the arterial, pulmonary-arterial and ventric ular pressures, on the left ventricular contraction velocity and on th e myocardial blood flow (less than +/-10% of the control value). The l eft ventricular relaxation velocity decreased by 20%. The disturbance of the left ventricular relaxation at a volume of 8 ml was pronounced (about 40% decrease). Slight left ventricular dysfunction further mani fested itself in a decreased systolic pressure (-15%) and increased le ft ventricular enddiastolic pressure (20%). Conclusion In summary the overall effect of the intracoronary injections of SH U 508 exhibited o nly minor cardiac side effects. If the current results are extrapolate d to peripheral-venous application, the clinically required central-ve nous 8 ml injection of a 400 mg/ml suspension is not expected to produ ce any coronary haemodynamic side effects, due to drug dilution in the pulmonary circulation and resulting low intracoronary concentrations.