Acute Hemodynamic Effects of Intravenous Sildenafil Citrate in Congestive Heart Failure: Comparison of Phosphodiesterase Type-3 and -5 Inhibition

In end-stage congestive cardiac failure, intravenous milrinone and sildenafil both cause similar reductions in systemic and pulmonary vascular resistance; however, milrinone has more cardiac selective effects on left ventricular filling and heart rate. Both agents appear to have a suitable hemodynamic profile for testing of reversibility of secondary pulmonary hypertension in congestive cardiac failure. Larger studies are needed to confirm these results.