Difference in site and time course of coronary dilating effects of trapidil, nitroglycerin and dipyridamole in anesthetized dogs.

Effects of trapidil, a non-nitrate type coronary vasodilator, nitroglycerin and dipyridamole on epicardial coronary diameter and total coronary resistance were studied in anesthetized open-chest dogs. The epicardial coronary diameter of the left circumflex coronary artery was measured by sonomicrometry and total coronary resistance was calculated by aortic pressure and coronary blood flow. Intravenous administration of Trapidil, as well as nitroglycerin, produced transient decreases in total coronary resistance followed by sustained dilation of the large coronary artery. Dipyridamole increased coronary blood flow by 2.7-fold, whereas diameter of the large coronary artery decreased along with the reduction of aortic pressure. The first peak of the biphasic increases in coronary blood flow and subsequent dilation of the large coronary artery appeared after an i.v. bolus administration of trapidil or nitroglycerin and remained even after beta adrenergic blockade. Intracoronary administration of either drug produced monophasic increases in coronary blood flow along with subsequent dilation of the large coronary artery. Thus, trapidil, like nitroglycerin, directly dilates the large and small coronary arteries.