Isosorbide dinitrate spray as therapeutic strategy for treatment of chronic venous ulcers.

Author(s): Sanchez-Vazquez R, Briseno-Rodriguez G, Cardona-Munoz EG, Galvez-Gastelum FJ, Totsuka-Sutto SE, Garcia-Benavides L

Affiliation(s): Unidad de Investigacion Cardiovascular, CUCS, Universitdad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.

Publication date & source: 2008-02, Angiology., 59(1):64-71.

Publication type:

Venous ulcers are the most common form of leg ulcers, which induce lesion because of the loss of substances deposited on the damaged skin. Isosorbide dinitrate is a vasodilator with effects on both arteries and veins and induces opening of vascular layers. The objective is to study the effects of isosorbide dinitrate-spray in patients with chronic venous ulcers. Forty-five patients of both sexes with chronic venous ulcers were randomized to receive isosorbide dinitrate or placebo sprays daily for 3 months. The ulcers were measured and clinical characteristics were taken every 15 days during the treatment. Patients treated with isosorbide dinitrate showed an improvement of the ulcerated area (71.29%) compared with patients treated with placebo (54.35%). The histopathological study indicated an increment in the number of hypertrophic and hyperplasic capillaries. Macroscopically, the isosorbide dinitrate-treatment showed the best results, but it was only during the first 6 weeks of treatment. Patients with chronic venous ulcer receiving isosorbide dinitrate spray showed improvement.