The effect of O-(beta-hydroxyethyl)-rutosides on central haemodynamics during and after aortocoronary bypass surgery.

Clinical use of O-(beta-hydroxyethyl)-rutosides (HR) has been mainly in chronic venous insufficiency, but to some extent also in arterial insufficiency. We investigated the effect of HR on the central circulation in a group of patients undergoing aortocoronary bypass surgery. Measurements were made during operation and on the first postoperative day, both before and after intravenous injection of 15 ml 10% HR (1.5 g). None of the obtained or calculated values for cardiac output, central blood pressures, coronary blood flow, heart rate, stroke volume and systemic, pulmonary and regional myocardial vascular resistance showed significant change following HR injection intraoperatively or postoperatively. We conclude that this intravenous dosage of HR has no adverse effect on central haemodynamics in patients with advanced coronary disease. This suggests that the drug can also be safely used in patients with peripheral arterial disease, as its beneficial effect on nutritional skin blood flow in these patients seems to be due to action on the microrheology of the blood and not to peripheral vasodilatation.