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- Title
Nicardipine Infusion Improved Hepatic Function But Failed to Reduce Hepatic Venous Pressure Gradient in Patients with Cirrhosis.
- Authors
Iwao, Tadashi; Toyonaga, Atsushi; Ikegami, Motoki; Sugawara, Hiroshi; Sumino, Michihiro; Takagi, Kohsuke; Oho, Kazuhiko; Sakaki, Munenori; Ohkubo, Kazunori; Inoue, Rintaroh; Tanikawa, Kyuichi
- Abstract
We investigated the effects of nicardipine on systemic and splanchnic hemodynamics and on liver function in 16 patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Patients received a continuous infusion of 0.3 mg/min of nicardipine (n = 10) and a control infusion (n = 6). No significant changes were observed after a control infusion. In contrast, systemic vasodilatation, evidenced by a significant fall in mean arterial pressure (-14%, p < 0.01) and systemic vascular resistance (-30%, p < 0.01), increased heart rate (+8%, p < 0.01) and cardiac output (+21%, p < 0.01), and increased hepatic blood flow (+43%, p < 0.01) were observed at 60 min after a continuous infusion of nicardipine. Although nicardipine improved hepatic function (intrinsic clearance from 0.29 ± 0.13 to 0.33 ± 0.15 L/min, p < 0.05), portal pressure evaluated by hepatic venous pressure gradient was not reduced significantly (from 16.3 ± 4.9 to 15.1 ± 5.7 mm Hg; NS). We conclude that a continuous infusion of nicardipine improves liver function but has no beneficial effect on portal pressure in patients with cirrhosis.
- Subjects
HEMODYNAMICS; LIVER function tests; CIRRHOSIS of the liver; PORTAL hypertension; VASODILATION
- Publication
American Journal of Gastroenterology (Springer Nature), 1992, Vol 87, Issue 3, p326
- ISSN
0002-9270
- Publication type
Article