Abstract: AIM: To observe effects of sodium nitroprusside on cardiac function and the level of nitric oxide (NO), lipid peroxide (LPO) and atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) of the elderly patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). METHODS: 100 patients with CHF who were over sixty years old were randomized to sodium nitroprusside group and nitroglycerine group.The patients in nitroprusside group received intravenous drip of 20 mg sodium nitroprusside +5 %GS100 ml once a day, the basic drip rate of sodium nitroprusside was 10 -20 μg·min ^-1;if the effects was bad, then the incremental increases of drip rate was 5 -10 μg·min ^-1, but the basic drip rate of sodium nitroprusside was less than 100 μg·min ^-1.The patients in nitroglycerine group received intravenous drip of 20 mg nitroglycerine +5 %GS 100 ml once a day;the course of therapy in each group was 5 -7 days. RESULTS: the general effective rate in sodium nitroprusside group was 96 %, and that in nitroglycerine group was 68 %.After treatment, in each group, heart rate and blood pressure were decreased, LVEF and CO increased, the level of LPO and ANF were decreased, the level of NO increased;but apparently the curative effects of sodium nitroprusside group was much better than that of nitroglycerine group (P <0.01). CONCLUSION: Sodium nitroprusside has remarkable curative effects in elderly patients with CHF and few side effects;and the elderly patients with CHF, failed to conventional treatment, can be treated by sodium nitroprusside.

Key words: pharmacodynamics, sodium nitroprusside, the elderly, congestive heart failure, nitric oxide, lipid peroxide, atrial natriuretic factor