Haemodynamic effects of DPI 201-106, following single intravenous dose administration to patients with moderate cardiac failure

DPI 201–106 is a novel compound unrelated to other cardioactiveagents and has been shown to have an inotropic effect in animalpreparations. The drug was given by intravenous infusion (20mg over 10 min) to 10 patients with moderate cardiac failureand the haemodynamic effects measured at intervals up to 1 hfollowing infusion. Maximal effects were seen immediately followingthe infusion of DPI 201–106. Cardiac index showed an increasefrom baseline 2·72 (0·16) 1 min^-1 m^-2 to 3·18(0.21) 1 min^-1 m^-2 at the end of infusion (P<0·001).Subsequent values were not significantly raised. Pulmonary capillarywedge pressure and pulmonary artery pressure fell from 27·6(3·2) and 36·9 (4·4) to 15·3 (3·6)and 24·2 (4·9) mmHg, respectively (P<0·001in both cases). A statistically significant effect on cardiacindex was not seen at 1 h. However, pulmonary pressures remainedreduced at this point. Radionuclide ejection fraction showeda significant increase from 15·4 (1·5) to 21·9(2·2)% (P<0·005) at the end of infusion, andmaintained a significant increase at 1 h. Having demonstratedbeneficial, acute haemodynamic effects in this study, furtherwork should be undertaken with DPI 201–106 to investigatethe effect of chronic treatment in patients with cardiac failure.