Hemodynamic, renal, and neurohumoral effects of a selective oral DA1 receptor agonist (fenoldopam) in patients with congestive heart failure.

Fenoldopam mesylate (SK&F 82526-J) is a novel benzazepine derivative. It has selective agonist activity at post-junctional (DA1) vascular dopaminergic receptors, which normally subserve renal artery vasodilation. Previous studies in normal subjects and in patients with hypertension indicate that fenoldopam increases renal blood flow and promotes a sodium diuresis. Drug efficacy was clinically evaluated in eight patients with chronic congestive heart failure (CHF) after a single oral dose of 100 mg of fenoldopam and following 3 days of therapy (100 mg four times daily). Stroke volume index acutely increased from 26 +/- 7 (mean +/- SD) to 30 +/- 4 ml/beat/m2 (p less than 0.05) and left ventricular filling pressure decreased from 26 +/- 13 to 23 +/- 11 mm Hg (p less than 0.05). Systemic vascular resistance decreased from 1513 +/- 159 to 1128 +/- 319 (p less than 0.05). Hemodynamic changes were seen as early as 30 minutes following fenoldopam and returned to control levels by 4 hours. Forearm blood flow, hepatic blood flow, and venous capacitance did not significantly change acutely, but renal blood flow index was significantly reduced (34 +/- 4 to 30 +/- 3 min-1 X 1000, p less than 0.01). Plasma norepinephrine, plasma renin activity, plasma arginine vasopressin, and plasma aldosterone did not significantly change acutely. After 3 days of treatment, 100 mg of fenoldopam again reduced the renal blood flow index (35 +/- 7 to 26 +/- 7 min-1 X 1000, p less than 0.01) and tended to increase plasma renin activity (11.7 +/- 8 to 21.2 +/- 19.4 ng/ml/hr, p = NS).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)