J. Perloff, James L. Calvin, A. C. D. Leon
Oct 1, 1963
Citations
1
Influential Citations
61
Citations
Quality indicators
Journal
American heart journal
Abstract
Abstract In spite of the increasing use of amyl nitrite in the auscultatory, phonocardiographic, and hemodynamic diagnosis of heart disease, data on its circulatory effects in normal man were incomplete. Because of this, observations were made on 25 normal young subjects under conditions similar to those employed when the drug is used as a diagnostic agent in the assessment of the cardiac patient. The studies indicate that amyl nitrite causes: (1) a decrease in systemic arterial pressure, vascular resistance, stroke work, circulation time, level of the dicrotic notch, amplitude of the dicrotic wave, and duration of left ventricular contraction, ejection, and diastolic filling period; (2) an increase in heart rate, cardiac index, and ejection velocity; and (3) no change in stroke volume or minute work. Phonocardiographic implications are briefly discussed.