Influence of Dalargin, a Peripheral Opiate Receptor Agonist, on Exercise Tolerance in Patients with Coronary and Peripheral Artery Atherosclerosis

The study showed that chronic stimulation of peripheral - and -opiate receptors by a course of intravenous D-Ala²–Leu⁵-Arg⁶-enkephalin (dalargin) causes an antianginal effect in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) and increases tolerance to exercise in patients with atherosclerosis of coronary and peripheral arteries. Prolonged activation of peripheral - and -receptors causes a venodilator effect and decreases the tone of peripheral arteries in patients with IHD and atherosclerosis of lower extremities. After a course of dalargin, the chronotropic response to exercise strengthens in patients with IHD and the hypertensive response to threshold exercise weakens in patients with atherosclerosis of lower extremities.