CLINICAL AND HEMODYNAMIC-EFFECTS OF LONG-TERM TREATMENT WITH TORASEMIDE IN CONGESTIVE-HEART-FAILURE

The clinical and haemodynamic effects of 12 weeks of treatment with to rasemide, 5 mg/day, were measured in 24 men aged 51-60 years with symp toms of mild, chronic, congestive heart failure. Clinical status was a ssessed by NYHA functional class and haemodynamic effects were measure d at rest and during supine bicycle exercise at the beginning and end of the 12-week period of study. Torasemide was well tolerated and ther e was no significant change in any of the measured safety variables. C linical status was improved in 16 of the 23 patients assessed after 12 weeks of treatment and none experienced symptomatic deterioration. Co mpared with pretreatment haemodynamic measurements, right atrial and p ulmonary vascular pressures were significantly decreased both at rest and during exercise after torasemide. Systemic arterial pressure was r educed at rest, but there were no significant changes in cardiac outpu t, heart rate, or systemic and pulmonary vascular resistances either a t rest or during exercise, neither were there any significant changes in systemic arterial blood oxygen saturation, pulmonary arterial blood pH, gas tensions, or bicarbonate concentration either at rest or duri ng exercise at 12 weeks. The results of these studies indicate that th e clinical and haemodynamic benefits of torasemide are not subject to the development of tolerance during sustained treatment.