Effects of nicardipine on cardiac volume at rest and during exercise-induced angina.

The action of nicardipine on cardiac volume, both at rest and during exercise-induced angina, was evaluated in 12 patients with angiographically-proven coronary artery disease. Nicardipine given to patients at rest reduced systemic vascular resistance and mean arterial pressure and increased heart rate and cardiac index. The left ventricular filling pressure, ejection fraction (EF), end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes were unchanged. During supine bicycle exercise, the reduction in systemic arterial blood pressure following nicardipine increased cardiac and stroke index and attenuated the rise in left ventricular filling pressure observed in the control exercise. The effects of nicardipine on EF, end-diastolic and end-systolic cardiac volumes were dependent on the baseline cardiac reserve. In patients with EF less than 50%, nicardipine improved EF and left ventricular exercise volumes.