[Amrinone for cardiovascular therapy in hypodynamic septic patients?]

Pulmonary hypertension, systemic vasodilation and the supply dependency of oxygen uptake are the major problems associated with sepsis. Thus, the goal of haemodynamic therapy in septic patients is an increase in cardiac output large enough to permit adequate tissue oxygenation. The purpose of this study was to establish whether the additional use of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor amrinone is useful in hypodynamic septic patients with inadequate tissue perfusion. Nine patients who had developed the clinical signs of sepsis (temperature greater than 38.5 degrees C, leukocytosis greater than 15,000/mm3, thrombopenia less than 100,000/mm3 or a drop in platelet count greater than 30%, cardiovascular shock) were given amrinone 30 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 for one hour. All patients showed mixed venous oxygen saturations below 70% and oxygen extraction rates above 30%, despite maximum catecholamine therapy. Haemodynamic parameters were measured with the help of a pulmonary artery catheter. Statistical significance was checked using the Wilcoxon signed-ranks test. During amrinone application cardiac index increased significantly from 4.6.1.81.min-1.m-2 to 5.6 +/- 1.81.min-1.m-2 (p less than 0.01), while central venous pressure was kept constant by volume supply. Mean pulmonary artery pressure remained nearly unchanged, whereas mean arterial pressure dropped significantly from 91 +/- 13 mmHg to 75 +/- 8 mmHg (p less than 0.01). The oxygen supply rose during administration of amrinone by an average of 17%, which led to a rise in oxygen uptake. Independence of oxygen uptake from oxygen supply, however, could not be attained. In septic patients, amrinone increases cardiac output via pulmonary vasodilation. However, pronounced systemic vasodilation lowers arterial blood pressure, enhancing the risk of myocardial ischaemia.