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Acute pulmonary edema is a common life-threatening condition. Current standard treatment includes the administration of oxygen, diuretics, and nitrates. However, the most effective doses of these agents have not been evaluated in a controlled clinical trial. Israeli investigators compared the efficacy and safety of two different combinations of these agents.
Patients presenting to mobile emergency units with acute pulmonary edema initially received oxygen, intravenous furosemide (40 mg) and morphine (3 mg). One hundred ten patients (mean age, 74) were randomized to receive either repetitive doses of intravenous isosorbide dinitrate (3 mg) every five minutes or an additional dose of 80 mg of intravenous furosemide and an intravenous nitroglyc…