Acute haemodynamic effects of isradipine in hypertensive heart transplant recipients.

The acute haemodynamic effects of the new calcium antagonist isradipine have been studied in ten hypertensive cardiac transplant recipients. Isradipine 0.01 mg.kg-1 was given IV during right heart catheterization and noninvasively automatic blood pressure measurements. From a baseline blood pressure of 164/114 mmHg the maximum blood pressure reduction was 35 mmHg systolic, 30 mmHg diastolic, and mean 34 mmHg, due to a reduction in systemic vascular resistance, maximum 43%. Cardiac index increased 32%, mainly due to an increase in the stroke volume, as the heart rate rose only by 10%. Left ventricular filling pressure was slightly reduced. We conclude that the main effect of isradipine was a major reduction in left ventricular afterload, comparable to that previously found in other patient groups.