Pharmaceutical compositions for use in the relief of acute pulmonary edema, different types of shock including anaphylactic shock, shock induced by bacterial endotoxins, and hyperfibrinolysis induced by substances which activate plasminogen, consist of solutions of an ester of L-arginine with an aliphatic alcohol in water at a pH between 5.5 and 8.5. The compositions may be provided in unit dosage form containing 0.25-100 mg of active substance per kilogram of body weight of the subject in need of treatment and are administered through the parenteral route. The esters may be provided in the form of a salt with a pharmaceutically acceptable organic or inorganic acid. The esters may be with methyl or ethyl alcohol. The compositions are more effective than aspirin and aprotinin.