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Effect of Peroral Administration of Isosorbide Dinitrate on Portal Pressure and Blood Flow in Patients with Cirrhosis of the Liver

The effect of slow-release isosorbide dinitrate, given orally four times daily for 14 days, on the portal circulation was studied in 10 patients with liver cirrhosis and oesophageal varices. Mean arterial pressure and heart rate were not influenced significantly by isosorbide dinitrate. Statistically significant dilation of the portal vein by 11.9% and an increase in blood flow velocity by 35.4% and in portal blood flow rate by 54.3% were observed at the end of therapy. The average wedged hepatic vein pressure was 32.9 mmHg before therapy and after therapy it was decreased to 60.5%. The slight decrease observed in free hepatic vein pressure was not statistically significant. Before treatment the portohepatic gradient was four times above normal and after therapy it fell to 9.5 mmHg. The results indicate that, in patients with portal hypertension, an improvement in haemodynamics can be achieved by the use of isosorbide dinitrate. This improvement may lead to the prevention of bleeding from oesophageal varices.