Acute Effect of Molsidomine On Pulmonary Circulation of Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary-disease

: Chronic obstructive lung diseases (COLD) are very often complicated by pulmonary arterial hypertension and right heart failure. Several drugs including nitrates have been used to counteract this type of hypertension. Molsidomine (M) is a recent nitrates-like drug acting for a longer time than the classical nitrates. Our aim was to investigate whether M could significantly lower pulmonary arterial hypertension of patients suffering from COLD. Ten male patients were investigated before and after intake of 4.0 mg M given sublingually. Ventilatory and cardiocirculatory indices were measured at rest and during a 30 and a 50 watts exercise. During exercise, M significantly lowers pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance without detrimental effect on arterial blood gases. M seems to be a promising drug to counteract the pulmonary hypertension of patients with COLD.