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Objective: To determine the feasibility, safety and efficacy of bilevel positive airway ventilation (BiPAP) in the treatment of severe pulmonary edema compared to high dose nitrate therapy., Background: Although noninvasive ventilation is increasingly used in the treatment of pulmonary edema, its efficacy has not been compared prospectively with newer treatment modalities., Methods: We enrolled 40 consecutive patients with severe pulmonary edema (oxygen saturation <90% on room air prior to treatment). All patients received oxygen at a rate of 10 liter/min, intravenous (IV) furosemide 80 mg and IV morphine 3 mg. Thereafter patients were randomly allocated to receive 1) repeated boluses of IV isosorbide-dinitrate (ISDN) 4 mg every 4 min (n = 20), and 2) BiPAP ventilation and standard dose nitrate therapy (n = 20). Treatment was administered until oxygen saturation increased above 96% or systolic blood pressure decreased to below 110 mm Hg or by more than 30%. Patients whose conditions deteriorated despite therapy were intubated and mechanically ventilated. All treatment was delivered by mobile intensive care units prior to hospital arrival., Results: Patients treated by BiPAP had significantly more adverse events. Two BiPAP treated patients died versus zero in the high dose ISDN group. Sixteen BiPAP treated patients (80%) required intubation and mechanical ventilation compared to four (20%) in the high dose ISDN group (p = 0.0004). Myocardial infarction (MI) occurred in 11 (55%) and 2 (10%) patients, respectively (p = 0.006). The combined primary end point (death, mechanical ventilation or MI) was observed in 17 (85%) versus 5 (25%) patients, respectively (p = 0.0003). After 1 h of treatment, oxygen saturation increased to 96 +/- 4% in the high dose ISDN group as compared to 89 +/- 7% in the BiPAP group (p = 0.017). Due to the significant deterioration observed in patients enrolled in the BiPAP arm, the study was prematurely terminated by the safety committee., Conclusions: High dose ISDN is safer and better than BiPAP ventilation combined with conventional therapy in patients with severe pulmonary edema.

Background: Nitrates and furosemide, commonly administered in the treatment of pulmonary oedema, have not been compared in a prospective clinical trial. We compared the efficacy and safety of these drugs in a randomised trial of patients with severe pulmonary oedema and oxygen saturation below 90%., Methods: Patients presenting to mobile emergency units with signs of congestive heart failure were treated with oxygen 10 L/min, intravenous furosemide 40 mg, and morphine 3 mg bolus. 110 patients were randomly assigned either to group A, who received isosorbide dinitrate (3 mg bolus administered intravenously every 5 min; n=56) or to group B, who received furosemide (80 mg bolus administered intravenously every 15 min, as well as isosorbide dinitrate 1 mg/h, increased every 10 min by 1 mg/h; n=54). Six patients were withdrawn on the basis of chest radiography results. Treatment was continued until oxygen saturation was above 96% or mean arterial blood pressure had decreased by 30% or to below 90 mm Hg. The main endpoints were death, need for mechanical ventilation, and myocardial infarction. The analyses were by intention to treat., Findings: Mechanical ventilation was required in seven (13%) of 52 group-A patients and 21 (40%) of 52 group-B patients (p=0.0041). Myocardial infarction occurred in nine (17%) and 19 (37%) patients, respectively (p=0.047). One patient in group A and three in group B died (p=0.61). One or more of these endpoints occurred in 13 (25%) and 24 (46%) patients, respectively (p=0.041)., Interpretation: High-dose isosorbide dinitrate, given as repeated intravenous boluses after low-dose intravenous furosemide, is safe and effective in controlling severe pulmonary oedema. This treatment regimen is more effective than high-dose furosemide with low-dose isosorbide nitrate in terms of need for mechanical ventilation and frequency of myocardial infarction.