BENEFICIAL-EFFECTS OF NTG ON LEFT-VENTRICULAR VOLUMES AND SYSTOLIC FUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION

The effect of sublingual administration and intravenous drip of nitrog lycerin (SLNTG and IVNTG) on left ventricular volumes (LVVs) were stud ied and systolic function was quantitatively assessed with two-dimensi onal echocardiography (2DE) in 28 patients with myocardial infarction (MI), including 13 cases without heart failure (MI-NHF) in one group a nd 15 with heart failure (MI-HE) in another. The results showed that a fter SLNTG; and IVNTG in both groups the heart rate (HR) increased sig nificantly (P<0.05-0.001); the systolic blood pressure (SBP) decreased significantly (P<0.05-0.001); the diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was not significantly changed (all P>0.05); the left ventricular end-diast olic and end-systolic volumes (EDV and ESV) both significantly reduced EDV: decreased by 5.8-11.6% (-13.2-19.0 ml), P<0.05-0.001; ESV: decre ased 9.6-16.6% (-8.6-17.3 ml), P<0.05-0.001); the ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) all significantly elevated (increased by 6.6%-9.4% (3 .2%-3.4%), P<0.05-0.001 except in MI-NHF group after IVNTG; the segmen tal EF of normal and hypokinetic segments also significantly increased (P<0.05-0.001). The results suggest that NTG could beneficially reduc e left ventricular EDV and ESV; and improve or strengthen its global a nd segmental systolic function in MI patients, particularly noticeable in patients with heart failure.