Effect of reserpine on the lesser circulation in chronic pulmonary diseases.

Investigations of the effect of pharmacological preparations on pulmonary hypertension in man are important for several reasons: from the potential therapeutic aspect; because these data may help to elucidate the regulation of pressure in the pulmonary artery; and finally because they may show whether pulmonary hypertension is reversible or irreversible. While the effect of reserpine on hypertension in the greater circulation is well known, there are only general papers on the effect of reserpine on hypertension in the lesser circulation. Angelino and Levi (1956) and Halmagyi et al. (1957) demonstrated that pulmonary hypertension can be influenced by reserpine in patients with mitral stenosis. Halmagyi (1959) suggested later that reserpine could be used therapeutically in patients with pulmonary hypertension in chronic pulmonary disease. This possibility was, however, not tested clinically. We decided therefore to investigate the influence of reserpine on pulmonary hypertension in a group of patients with chronic pulmonary disease.