THE CENTRAL HEMODYNAMIC-EFFECTS OF A SINGLE INTRAVENOUS DOSE OF FLOSEQUINAN IN PATIENTS WITH SEVERE HEART-FAILURE

The acute central haemodynamic and neuroendocrine effects of intravenous flosequinan were studied in a group of 10 patients with severe heart failure. Flosequinan improved cardiac output by a maximum of 1.59 l.min-1, it reduced pulmonary capillary wedge pressure by 11.9 mm Hg and it also caused a reduction in right atrial pressure by a maximum of 7.2 mm Hg. It tended to cause a fall in plasma adrenaline levels but not in plasma noradrenaline. There was little fall in blood pressure in response to flosequinan and no patient developed an adverse event. Intravenous flosequinan may be a useful candidate drug for controlled clinical studies in patients with severe heart failure.