Pharmacological and clinical research on nitrates continues to be of growing interest in many centers. This is surprising in view of the fact that their favorable effects in angina pectoris were described by Brunton and by Murrell in the Lancet more than 100 years ago. As expected, a host of new information has been collected since the two previous symposia on nitrates held in Stockholm in 1975 and Berlin in 1978. New insights were gained into the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of nitrates, as well as into their clinical effects in acute and chronic ischemic heart diseases and in severe congestive heart failure. Relatively little progress, however, was observed in research into the basic action of nitrates. Although most investigators agree that intracellular sequestration of calcium is probably the main mechanism by which nitrates lead to the reduction of vascular smooth muscle tone, the exact site of their action still remains undefined. In contrast, dose-dependent differences in venous and arteriolar tone have long been clearly established. Treatment was again in the main stream of discussion. The question of tolerance following long-term administration was discussed in depth and the term "pseudotolerance" was introduced to describe the adaptation of the body's circulatory system to chronic vasodilation. This is especially important in long term prophylactic antiischemic treatment in stable, as well as in unstable angina pectoris (i.e. during increased vasomotor tone - spasm).

I Basic Action of Nitrates

Pharmacology of Nitrates in Relation to Antianginal Action
Pharmacokinetics - Pharmacodynamics and the Bioavailability of Organic Nitrate Drug Products
Fate of Isosorbide Mononitrates in Man
Tolerance to Circulatory and Clinical Effects of Nitrates
Panel Discussion
II Pharmacodynamics and Kinetics
Pharmacokinetics of Isosorbide Dinitrate in Human Subjects
Pharmacokinetics of Isosorbide Mononitrates in Human Subjects
Comparative Haemodynamic and Pharmacokinetic Investigations After Oral Isosorbide-2-mononitrate and Isosorbide-5-mononitrate
Newer Methods of Administration of Nitrates to Man to Give a More Predictable Therapeutic Response
Plasma Concentrations and Hemodynamic Effects of Percutaneously Administered Nitroglycerin and Isosorbide Dinitrate in Healthy Volunteers
Effects of Acute and Chronic Administration of Isosorbide Dinitrate, Sustained-Release Form, in Patients with Angina Pectoris
May Prolonged High Doses of Nitrates Cause Tolerance? Preliminary Results on the Response to an Additional Dose by Infusion
The New Tropical Drug Delivery System for Nitroglycerin
Echocardiographic Assessment of Different Doses of Oral Isosorbide Dinitrate in Patients with and without Heart Failure: Increase in Response with Dose
Unchanged Efficacy of Acute Sublingual Nitrate Compounds During Long-term Treatment with Percutaneously Applied Isosorbide Dinitrate Ointment
Induction and Inhibition of Organic Nitrate Metabolism
Digital Pulse Plethysmography: a Sensitive Test of the Pharmacodynamics of Nitrates - Reproducibility and Quantitation of the Technique
Discussion
III Hemodynamics
Direct and Indirect Effects of Nitroglycerin on Systolic and Diastolic Left Ventricular Function
Left Ventricular Function and Regional Wall Motion After Intracoronary Application of Nitrates in Coronary Heart Disease.
Different Effects of Intracoronary and Intravenous Administration of Nitroglycerin on the Microcirculation of the Ventricular Myocardium of the Cat and Rat Heart
Diastolic Pressure-Volume Relation and Left Ventricular Mass in Man After Autonomic Blockade and During Afterload Variation with Isosorbide Dinitrate and Methoxamine
Early Hemodynamic Responses to Single Dose Intravenous Nitroglycerin: Time Course Relationships
Demonstration of a Real Inotropic Effect of Nitrites on Myocardial Contractility During Anoxia and Reoxygenation: Attempt to Determine Action Site with the Contribution of Calcium Antagonistic Compounds
Use of Intravenously Administered Isosorbide Dinitrate to Determine Reversibility of Myocardial Asynergy After Myocardial Infarction
Hemodynamic Interaction of Beta-Blockers and Nitrates in Coronary Heart Disease
Discussion
IV Coronary Flow, Perfusion
Effect of Nitrates on Myocardial Blood Flow During Angina: Comparison of Results Obtained by Inert Gas Clearance and 201 Thallium Imaging
Collateral Pressure Distal to Coronary Obstructions - Influence of Nitrates
Effects of Systemic Nitroglycerin on Perfusion of Ischemic Myocardium in Clinical Coronary Artery Disease
Effects of Nitroglycerin on Blood Velocity and Flow in Coronary Arteries and Bypass Grafts in Man
The Effect of Nitrates on Pressuretime Indices and Coronary Graft Blood Flow in Man
Angina Pectoris and Other Effects After Intracoronary Administration of Nitroglycerin
Discussion
V Vascular Effects
Comparative Vasodilating Effects of Nitroglycerin and Verapamil on Large Coronary Arteries in Man
Quantitative Coronary Angiography: Effect of Isosorbide Dinitrate on Coronary Artery Stenoses
Threshold Dosages of Nitroglycerin for Coronary Artery Dilatation, Afterload Reduction, and Venous Pooling in Conscious Dogs
Influence of Nitroglycerin on Aortic Compliance, Capacity of the Windkessel, and Peripheral Resistance
Echocardiographic Findings of Left Ventricular Function Before and After Isosorbide Dinitrate in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients
Hemorrheological and Hemodynamic Effects of ISDN in Essential Hypertension and Obliterative Arterial Disease
Coronary Artery Spasm Combined with Walk-through Phenomenon - a Special Type of Prinzmetal's Angina
Discussion
VI Pulmonary Circulation
Effect of Nitroglycerin on the Diameter of Peripheral Arterial and Venous Pulmonary Vessels
Nitrates in Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension Due to Airways Obstruction
Comparison of the Effects of Nitroglycerin and Aminophylline on Hemodynamics and Lung Function in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease
Influence of Nitroglycerin on Central Hemodynamics and $${\dot V_A}/{\dot Q_C}$$ of the Lungs in the Postoperative Period After Coronary Bypass Surgery
Effect of Sustained-Release Isosorbide Dinitrate on Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Patients with Chronic Cor Pulmonale
Influence of Isosorbide Dinitrate of Pulmonary Circulation and Gas Exchange in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Discussion
VII Acute Myocardial Infarction and Unstable Angina
The Use of Sodium Nitroprusside in the Treatment of the Acute Phase of Myocardial Infarction
The Role of Nitroglycerin in Acute Myocardial Infarction
Nitroprusside and Nitroglycerin in Acute Myocardial Infarction
The Effect of Intracoronary Nitroglycerin in Acute Myocardial Infarction
Panel-Discussion
Intracoronary Thrombolysis in Evolving Myocardial Infarction
Feasibility of Nitroprusside Therapy in Patients with Hypotension Due to Severe Left Ventricular Failure in Acute Myocardial Infarction
Vasodilator-Induced Changes in Global and Regional Ventricular Function in Acute Myocardial Infarction
A Randomized Trial of Prolonged Nitroglycerin Infusion in Acute Myocardial Infarction
Intravenous Nitroglycerin in Unstable Angina
The Action of Nitroglycerin on Pacing-Induced Arrhythmias
Discussion
VIII Exercise
Assessment of the Effect of Isosorbide Dinitrate on Left Ventricular Hemodynamics at Rest and Under Exercise in Patients with CHD by Gated Blood Pool Scintigraphy
Influence of Isosorbide Dinitrate and Mononitrate on the Ejection Fraction and Wall Motion Parameters at Rest and Under Exercise in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease
Influence of Nitroglycerine on Myocardial Metabolism of Cyclic AMP, Cyclic GMP, Lactate, Free Fatty Acids, and Glucose at Rest and During Exercise in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease
Attenuation of Nitrate Preload Reduction by Exercise in Patients with Severe Chronic Heart Failure
Sustained Effect of Isosorbide Dinitrate Ointment on Angina and Exercise-Induced Electrocardiographic Changes in Patients with Ischemic Heart Disease
Exercise-Induced Nonischemic Angina Pectoris Due to Abnormal Left Ventricular Compliance: Effects of Nitroglycerin
Long-Term Effects of Isosorbide Dinitrate and Molsidomine on Left Ventricular Wall Motion and Dimensions in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease and Stable Angina Pectoris
Myocardial Oxygen Consumption and Coronary Blood Flow at Rest and During Exercise After Application of Nitroglycerin
Effect of Isosorbide Dinitrate and Coronary Bypass Surgery on the Perfusion Distribution and Regional Tracer Uptake in 201 Thallium Stress Scintigraphy
Effects of Nitrates at Rest and During Bicycle Exercise and Cross-Country Walking
Discussion
IX Chronic Heart Failure
Peripheral Circulation in Congestive Heart Failure
General Principles of Treatment with Vasodilators
Chronic Refractory Pump Failure: Effects on Hemodynamics and Circulating Catecholamines of Intravenous Isosorbide Dinitrate
Treatment of Low-Output Failure After Open Heart Surgery with Nitroglycerin and Dobutamine
Afterload Reduction with Dipyridamole and Preload Reduction with ISDN in Congestive Heart Failure
Panel-Discussion
Effect of Nitroglycerin on Hemodynamics and Catecholamines in Patients with Left Heart Failure
Dose Response Study of Acute Hemodynamic Effects of Intravenous Isosorbide Dinitrate in Patients with and without Heart Failure
Comparative Efficacy of Nitroprusside and Prazosin on Cardiocirculatory Function in Chronic Congestive Heart Failure
Efficacy of Long-Term Nitrate Treatment in Chronic Left Ventricular Failure
Haemodynamic Effects of High Dose Isosorbide Dinitrate (160mg Daily) in Severe Congestive Heart Failure
Renal Changes in Low Cardiac Output Failure: Improvement with Vasodilators
Discussion
X Bypass Surgery; Valvular Heart Disease
Comparison of Intravenous Nitroglycerin and Nitroprusside as Arterial Vasodilators
Influence of Sodium Nitroprusside on Myocardial Function Early After Aortocoronary Bypass Surgery
Influence of Deliberate Hypotension on Oxygenation and Plasma Catecholamines During Coronary Bypass Surgery
The Effects of Nitroglycerin in Patients with Valvular Heart Disease: Hemodynamic and Radionuclide Cineangiographic Studies
Effects of Volume Expansion and Vasodilators on Hemodynamics and Organ Perfusion in Acute Pericardial Tamponade
Effects of Nitroglycerin on Left Ventricular and Myocardial Function in Aortic Stenosis
Discussion
XI Poster Session
Sodium Nitroprusside: Indication that Peripheral Vascular Beds are the Sites for its Rapid in Vivo Inactivation
Influence of ISDN, Molsidomine, Nifedipine, and DHE, on the Venous Tone in Man
Effects of Sodium Nitroprusside (Nipruss) in Addition to Volume Administration in Shock States Associated with Increased Total Peripheral Vascular Resistance
Organic Nitrates - A New Principle in Glaucoma Therapy?
Nitrates: Concluding Remarks.