OBJECTIVETo compare the relief effect of diltiazem, papaverine and nitroglycerin on radial artery spasm in elderly patients with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease.

METHODSSixty patients aged beyond 70 years underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with autologous radial artery from July 2009 to March 2010. Redundant radial artery was collected and the relief function of different drugs was evaluated through "organ bath" technique in vitro. All the patients were randomly divided into 3 groups based on different antispasmodic drugs: diltiazem, papaverine and nitroglycerin. Thirty seconds free blood flow of radial artery and hemodynamic parameters (heart rate, mean arterial pressure and central venous pressure) were assessed before and after intra-radial administration of diltiazem, papaverine and nitroglycerin in vivo.

RESULTSAll three drugs could relieve radial artery spasm in different levels and the eventual relief rate was over 80%. Only nitroglycerin could relax radial artery completely, the relief capacity of nitroglycerin, diltiazem and papaverine decreased in order. There was no significant difference in the hemodynamic parameters before and after the injection. Blood flow of radial artery increased in nitroglycerin group [(42 ± 10) ml/30 s vs. (28 ± 7) ml/30 s, P < 0.05] while there was no significant difference in diltiazem [(23 ± 10) ml/30 s vs. (25 ± 8) ml/30 s, P > 0.05] and papaverine group [(25 ± 10) ml/30 s vs. (24 ± 9), P > 0.05].

CONCLUSIONSNitroglycerin could relieve vasospasm of radial artery effectively and increased blood flow. Nitroglycerin is the suitable antispasmodic drug for radial artery in the elderly patients with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease compare with diltiazem and papaverine.