About choosing a vasodilator for vasoreactivity tests in heart transplant candidates

The purpose of our prospective, consistent, non-randomized study was to analyze the results of vasoreactivity tests (VRT) performed with nitric oxide (NO) or inhaled Iloprost in heart transplant candidates. 72 VRTs were done in 58 candidates for heart transplantation. All patients had heart failure III-IV NYHA and pulmonary hypertension (PH) with pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) over 2.5 WU. 43 patients received NO, 80 ppm for 20 min. 29 patients inhaled 20 μg of Iloprost (Ventavis, Bayer). Hemodynamic parameters were measured at baseline, 20 min after NO inhalation and 15 min following the completion of Iloprost inhalation. There were no between-group differences in the severity of patient's condition and baseline hemodynamic indicators. Both vasodilators caused statistically significant reduction in mean PAP: in the NO group it dropped (p = 0.002), in the Iloprost group the mean PAP decreased (p