Survival rate after early treatment for acute type-A aortic dissection with ACTH-(1-24)

Haemorrhagic shock, usually as a consequence of major trauma, is the most frequent cause of death among people younger than 40 years. Reports indicate that melanocortin peptides are effective in reversing haemorrhagic shock. We found that in patients with aortic-dissection-induced haemorrhagic shock, the addition of an early intravenous bolus injection of the melanocortin andrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH)-(1-24) to standard treatment significantly improved cardiovascular function and increased survival rate. Because administration of ACTH-(1-24) is simple, and because melanocortin peptides have no acute toxicity, their use in the early critical care of patients in shock should be more extensively assessed.