[Therapeutic use of nitroglycerin in pulmonary edema and cardiac asthma in myocardial infarct patients].

The effect of sublingual medication with nitroglycerin taken in a dose of 0.5-1 mg was studied in 101 patients with myocardial infarction (77 had pulmonary edema and 34 had cardiac asthma). In patients with edema of the lungs nitroglycerin reduced dyspnoea, in some cases of cardiac asthma it arrested the attack. It was found that nitroglycerin reduced central venous pressure, the diastolic-systolic index of the pulmonary rheogram, the systolic, diastolic and mean pressure in the pulmonary artery, and arterial pressure in the greater circulation. With the intake of the drug, cardiac output decreased almost significantly, whereas the peripheral pressure did not change. It is concluded that the use of nitroglycerin in a dose of 0.5 mg in the treatment of cardiac asthma and pulmonary edema in patients with acute myocardial infraction is advisable.