Peripheral arterial and venous responses to acetylstrophanthidin in patients with acute myocardial infarction

The peripheral arterial and venous responses to rapidly active acetylstrophanthidin (rather than the much slower digitalis) were studied in patients with acute myocardial infarction without congestive heart failure. In eight control patients placebo did not change mean blood pressure (BP), calf blood flow (CBF), calf vascular resistance (CVR), or calf venous volume (CVV). Seventeen patients received 10 mg IV acetylstrophanthidin. In these patients BP increased 5.3%, CBF decreased 18.2%, and CVR increased 29.2%. Venous capacitance was not changed. Acetylstrophanthidin induced no significant change in cardiac output, systemic vascular, resistance, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, or right atrial pressure. In patients with acute myocardial infarction not complicated by congestive heart failure, digitalis may promote limb vasoconstriction and increase blood pressure, but it does not adversely affect cardiac function.