PEDIATRICS Vol. 73 No. 1 January 1984, pp. 43-51
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via CrossRef
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Beekman, R. H.
Right arrow Articles by Rosenthal, A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Beekman, R. H.
Right arrow Articles by Rosenthal, A.

Vasodilator Therapy in Children: Acute and Chronic Effects in Children with Left Ventricular Dysfunction or Mitral Regurgitation

Robert H. Beekman MD1, Albert P. Rocchini MD1, Macdonald Dick II MD1, Dennis C. Crowley MD1, and Amnon Rosenthal MD1

1 From the Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, C. S. Mott Children's Hospital, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

To determine the acute and chronic effects of vasodilator therapy in children, vasodilator therapy was evaluated in 13 children (aged 0.2 to 14.5 years) with severe left ventricular dysfunction or mitral regurgitation. In seven children, nitroprusside increased cardiac index by an average of 33% (P < .01) and increased stroke index by 29% (P < .01). In eight children, hydralazine caused a 31% increase in cardiac index (P < .01) and a 27% increase in stroke index (P < .02). Ten children received chronic oral vasodilator therapy and were followed for 5.7 ± 1.4 (SEM) months. Early clinical improvement was observed in every child. Symptoms of heart failure diminished in all, and five children became entirely asymptomatic. A significant (P < .05) improvement was noted in growth velocity, respiratory rate, heart size, and incidence of gallop rhythm after 1 month of therapy. The duration of the beneficial response to vasodilator therapy varied considerably, however, and significant improvement for the group was not found after 1 month. Four children had sustained clinical improvement for 6 months or longer, but the others experienced recurrent heart failure within 1 to 4 months.

Key Words: vasodilator therapy • heart failure • cardiomyopathy • mitral regurgitation

Submitted on December 12, 1982
Accepted on June 2, 1983