Ventilatory efficiency and dyspnea on exertion improvements are related to reduced pulmonary pressure in heart failure patients receiving Sildenafil

Chronic phosphodiesterase-5 inhibition improves peak oxygen consumption, ventilatory efficiency (VE/VCO(2) slope) and pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) in heart failure (HF). In 40 male patients, Sildenafil treatment produced a significant (p<0.001) decrease in dyspnea upon exertion (DOE) at maximal exercise. The correlations between the change in systolic PAP and both the change in the VE/VCO(2) slope (r=0.57, p<0.001) and DOE at maximal exercise (r(s)=0.49, p<0.001) were significant. DOE at maximal exercise is significantly reduced and the degree of improvement in PAP is reflected by the degree of improvement in the VE/VCO(2) slope and DOE following Sildenafil therapy.