Sodium nitroprusside in treating acute high-altitude pulmonary edema]

Sodium nitroprusside (NP) alone Was given to the 39 cases with acute high-altitude pulmonary edema (AHPE). 33 of them (84.6%) fully recovered and 6 (15.38%) obviously improved in 72 hours. The total efficacy was 100%. There was obvious improvement in the cardiac pumping and contractile function as well as total peripheral resistance. The mean pulmonary artery pressure (MPAP) decreased from 52.22 +/- 7.51mmHg to 25.13 +/- 10.36mmHg in 3 to 5 hours after the first dose. Strophanthin K was given to another 11 cases with AHPE, But none fully recovered or obviously improved. During the 72 hours of treatment, 4 improved slightly, 4 showed no therapeutic effect and 3 became worse. The heart rate was reduced obviously and cardiac contractile function strengthened while the cardiac pumping function and total peripheral resistance had no change. Vasodilator therapy is a new method for AHPE treatment and this study shows that the NP is an ideal drug in treating AHPE and that dilation of the small pulmonary arteries by NP may explain its efficacy.