Effects of dipyridamole on the hypoxemic pulmonary hypertension of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Based on the hypothesis that blood platelets contribute to the pathogenesis of hypoxemic pulmonary hypertension in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the effect of a prolonged treatment with dipyridamole, a platelet-inhibiting drug, on hypoxemic pulmonary hypertension was evaluated in a double-blind cross-over study. Eight patients with COPD, pulmonary hypertension [mean systolic pressure 52.2 +/- (SD) 9.7 mm Hg; mean diastolic pressure 25.8 +/- (SD) 6.8 mm Hg] and shortened platelet regeneration time [mean 5.2 +/- (SD) 1.2 days] received, in a cross-over random sequence, the following two 3-month treatments: (a) dipyridamole 100 mg and acetylcysteine 100 mg every 6 h; (b) acetylcysteine, 100 mg every 6 h. Dipyridamole significantly prolonged the platelet regeneration time [mean 6.5 +/- (SD) 1.0 days; p less than 0.05]. There was no significant effect on diastolic pulmonary pressure. However, systolic pressure was significantly (p less than 0.05) lower after dipyridamole [46.8 +/- (SD) 16 mm Hg] than after placebo [56.1 +/- (SD) 14 mm Hg]. These results suggest that dipyridamole can slow the progression of hypoxemic pulmonary hypertension in patients with COPD.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes