[Significance of progesterone in the pathogenesis and treatment of pulmonary hypertension and cardiopulmonary failure].

Study of blood progesterone and diurnal urine pregnanediol revealed that progesterone level substantially increased in the initial stage of cor pulmonale formation (in respiratory failure without heart decompensation). Meanwhile as heart insufficiency and pulmonary hypertension in patients with chronic nonspecific lung diseases augmented, blood progesterone and excretion of pregnanediol dramatically fell. Application of progesterone (2.5% solution, 2 ml i.m. once a day over a week) favoured an increase in pulmonary ventilation, improvement of myocardial contractility, and pressure drop in the pulmonary artery.