AIMTo evaluate the hemodynamic effects of aminophylline and nifedipine in patients with HAPE.

METHODS10 patients with HAPE undergone Swan-Ganz catheter. The parameters of hemodynamics and arterial blood gases in HAPE were measured before and after administration of nifedipine 20 mg sublingually and aminophylline 0.25 g intravenously respectively.

RESULTSAfter administering 0.25 g aminophylline the mPAP and PVR significantly decreased, the cardiac output and the level of PaO2, SaO2 increased obviously, the mSAP, HR did not change so much. After using 20 mg nifedipine, the mPAP, PVR and mSAP also decreased, while the cardiac output, HR and the level of PaO2, SaO2 did not show any changes.

CONCLUSIONBoth of aminophylline and nifedipine can attenuate pulmonary hypertension in patients with HAPE, but the effect of aminophylline was better than the effect of nifedipine.

Adult ; Altitude ; Altitude Sickness ; drug therapy ; Aminophylline ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; drug therapy ; Male ; Nifedipine ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome