Altogether 52 patients with severe forms of congestive
cardiac failure (CCF) developing as a result of rheumatic
valvular heart diseases, were examined. The patients were divided into 2 groups: 35 living permanently in the lowlands (LL) and 17 living in the highlands (HL). All the patients received
corinfar (
nifedipine) as part of multimodality
therapy at a single dose of 20 mg/m2 with 8-h intervals for 10 days. The results of the administration of the
drug in a single dose or in a course were controlled on clinical observation and by instrumental examination including electro- and echocardiography, tetrapolar chest rheography and indirect measurement of pressure in the pulmonary artery (PPA). PPA direct measurement was performed in 8 patients. At both altitudes
corinfar resulted in the improvement of the patients' general status, postexercise recovery reduction, a decrease in PPA and
mitral regurgitation volume, and an increase in the efficacy of cardiac pump function.
Corinfar did not make any noticeable effect on preload and myocardial contractility. Therefore the
drug can be recommended for multimodality
therapy of CCF both in the high- and lowlands.