Effects of Amrinone on Myocardial Energy Metabolism and Hemodynamics in Patients with Severe Congestive Heart Failure Due to Coronary Artery Disease

SUMMARYAmrinone has been shown to exhibit a potent inotropic effect in patients with heart failure secondary to congestive cardiomyopathy, but its effects on myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2) and coronary blood flow (CBF) are unknown. Accordingly, the hemodynamic, myocardial metabolic and ECG responses to amrinone (2.5 mg/kg i.v. over 1 hour) were measured in nine patients with congestive heart failure secondary to coronary artery disease. Increases were observed in cardiac index (1.3 ± 0.4 to 2.2 ± 0.7 I/min/m2) and left ventricular stroke work (10.6 ± 3.0 to 19.2 ± 6.3 g-m/m2), and decreases in mean pulmonary wedge (31 ± 5 to 26 ± 4 mm Hg), mean pulmonary artery (44 ± 8 to 36 ± 7 mm Hg) and mean right atrial pressures (18 ± 4 to 10 ± 4 mm Hg), myocardial arteriovenous oxygen difference (129 ± 19 to 109 ± 17 ml/l), CBF (215 ± 117 to 178 ± 84 ml/min) and MVO2 (27 + 14 to 19 ± 9 ml/min). All changes were significant (p < 0.01). No significant changes occurred in aortic mean pressure, heart rate, myocardial lactate extraction or ECG, and no patient developed angina. In explaining the decline in MVO2, it is possible that the increase in contractility was more than offset by the reductions in preload and afterload. The amrinone-induced hemodynamic improvement in patients with congestive heart failure secondary to coronary artery disease was associated with reductions in MVO2 and CBF and no evidence of myocardial ischemia.