Jasmin Dam Lukoschewitz

Baseline characteristics will be reported as mean ±SD if normally distributed, and as median (25th percentile-75th percentile) if non-normally distributed and compared with T-test or Wilcoxon rank-sum test as appropriate. Categorical variables will be presented as numbers (percentages) and will be compared with Fisher’s exact test. The primary exposure variable is defined as allocation to the intervention group, compared to the control group.

Acute heart failure is a clinical syndrome characterized by cardiac dysfunction and neurohumoral activation, encompassing complex underlying pathophysiology which may vary across phenotypes. Nitroglycerine is a nitrate donor with vasodilatory effects on both venous capacitance vessels and arterial resistance vessels in higher doses, typically used with the aim of reducing congestion, preload, and afterload.

Methods The study is a prospective, investigator-initiated, parallel-group, randomised, clinical trial. Patients were included in the Department of Cardiology at Hvidovre Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark, after acute admission with a primary cardiac disease and in need of oxygen. We included patients admitted with heart disease in need of oxygen supplementation, defined as an SpO2 <92%.