Nitrates versus calcium antagonists in preventing cerebral infarction induced by hyperbaric oxygen

Huai HUANG; Hongjun YANG; Ronghao YU; Qiuyou XIE

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

Hyperbaric oxygen may induce cerebral infarction. But what kind of medicine may prevent it and what is the preventive function of the medicine are not clear yet.

OBJECTIVE:

To compare the preventive function of nitrates with calcium antagonists in cerebral infarction induced by hyperbaric oxygen.

DESIGN:

Controlled retrospective observation based on patients.

SETTING:

Department of Hyperbaric Oxygen, Department of Neurology,Guangzhou General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Area Command of Chinese PLA.

PARTICIPANTS:

Totally 192 patients receiving hyperbaric oxygen treatment in Guangzhou General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Area Command of Chinese PLA, who were 127 males and 65 females, and aged 9 -78 years old. Among them, 6 patients developed into cerebral infarction.

METHODS:

Totally 192 patients receiving hyperbaric oxygen treatment were old, hypertensive disease, hyperlipemia, cerebral infarction(or cerebral hemorrhage), hyperviscosity in blood and diabetes as dangerous factors, prevention function of medicine was analyzed on the level of grouping different dangerous factors.

INTERVENTIONS:

Under the prerequisite condition of regular treatment medicine given to the 192 patients of the 3 groups, patients in nitrate group took isosorbide dinitrate or nitroglycerin orally, patients in calcium antagonist group took sibelium or Norvasc and so on orally, and patients in group without special medication did not take preventive drugs.MAIN OUTCOME

MEASURES:

Dangerous index was dangerous factorsto cerebral infarction.

RESULTS:

No one developed into cerebral infarction with grouping less than 4 dangerous factors. On the level of grouping 4 or more dangerous factors,nitrates had good preventive function, but in calcium antagonist group,33.3% patients developed into cerebral infarction. There was significant difference between them( P ＜ 0.05).

CONCLUSION:

Nitrates have significant preventive functions, but calcium antagonists have no such functions.