Introduction: Sildenafil (Viagra, Pfizer) is being used to treat pulmonary hypertension (PH). However, there are limited data on the effects of sildenafil on patients with PH after left-sided valvular surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal dosage and the effects of sildenafil on prognosis of patients with PH after left-sided valvular surgery.
Methods: This randomised controlled trial, double-blind study enrolled patients with PH undergoing left-sided valvular surgery in our hospital from January to December, 2010. Ninety patients were enrolled. And 0.5 mg/kg sildenafil citrate or placebo was administered through nasogastric tubes, the haemodynamics changes in the 0.5/1/2/4 hours were assessed. The sildenafil citrate/placebo was continued to the discharges and the early prognoses of these patients were compared.
Results: Compared with placebo, a 0.5 mg/kg dose of sildenafil significantly reduced the time of mechanical ventilation, stay-in-ICU and hospitalisation duration.
Conclusions: Sildenafil might be beneficial to the early prognosis of patients with PH after left-sided valvular surgery.
Keywords: Haemodynamic; Postoperative period; Pulmonary artery hypertension; Sildenafil citrate; Valvular heart disease.
Copyright © 2014 Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) and the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.