Re: CHF Primacor

Posted By chris on February 18, 1998 at 22:18:00:

In Reply to: CHF   Primacor posted by Jon on January 27, 1998 at 01:28:20:







Primacor (Milrinone) is not available in a oral form in the United States.  Primacor is only available by IV injection.
The medical study at Medline under the following identifiers seems to suggest that primacor is indeed available in oral form. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Title: Hemodynamic effects and pharmacokinetics of oral milrinone for short-term support in acute heart failure.
Author: Seino Y; Takano T; Hayakawa H; Kanmatsuse K; Saitoh S; Saitoh T; Kamishima G; Watanabe K; Motomiya T; Murata M; et al at Nippon Medical School Hospital, Japan.
From: Cardiology, 1995, 86:1, 34-40
Unique Identifier: 95246059
My father is 65 years old.  He takes oxygen 24 hours a day.  He also takes  many medications.  My father's legs are also swollen with water and the strong diuretics he is taking don't seem to be working.  His nurse suggested primacor.  I want to know when it is good to take primacor and when it may not be good.  I know that it can be taken orally and also that it can go more directly to the heart.  My father would prefer to take it at home supervised by nurses.  Are there any risks to this?.   --Thank you.






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Dear Helena,
Primacor (milrinone) is an intravenous medication to increase contractile function of the heart. It is not yet available in the oral form.
Leg swelling that does not respond to diuretics can be from various causes. If it is due to poor contractile function of the left heart, it is possible that primacor infusion may benefit the situation. In other cases it may not help and can even be dangerous. So, it is very important to identify the cause of leg swelling.
Primacor can have serious side effects when the infusion is stated and so it is not safe to start the medication at home. Once the safety is established with in-hosiptal, close monitoring for at least a few days, home IV therapy can be planned. However, to use this medication chronically  is a major decision with significant risks.
Information provided in the Heart Forum is intended for general medical informational purposes only. Actual diagnosis and treatment of any particular medical condition can only be made by your family physician(s).