24-HOUR HEMODYNAMIC-EFFECTS OF 2 DIFFERENT DIHYDROPYRIDINE DERIVATIVES ASSESSED BY NONINVASIVE METHODS IN PATIENTS WITH CONGESTIVE-HEART-FAILURE

In a placebo-controlled randomized double-blind cross-over study, 16 p atients with congestive heart failure (NYHA class II; 12 males and 4 f emales; 60.6 +/- 6.2 years, body weight 72.2 +/- 11.7 kg; mean +/- SD) received single oral doses of either 10 mg felodipine extended releas e, 20 mg nitrendipine, or placebo. The patients were crossed over to t he subsequent treatments after 4-day washout intervals. Mechanocardiog raphy (systolic time intervals), impedance cardiography, venous occlus ion plethysmography, heart rate, and blood pressure were measured befo re as well as 2, 6, 12, and 24 h after drug administration. Felodipine and nitrendipine significantly increased stroke volume and the Heathe r index in impedance cardiography, whereas the pre-ejection period sig nificantly decreased in mechanocardiography. Two hours after drug admi nistration, the effect of felodipine on mechano- and impedance cardiog raphic parameters was more pronounced than that of nitrendipine. In co nclusion, in the present study, felodipine had a longer-lasting and mo re pronounced influence on the cardiovascular parameters determined th an nitrendipine.