[Inotropic and vasopressive drugs during anesthesia and critical care. Current data]

Recent therapeutic advances in inotropic drugs and vasipressors uses allow a reappraisal of their indications during the perioperative period. Non-catecholamines vasopressors, ephedrine and phenylephrine, are particularly suitable for treatment of abrupt peroperative arterial hypotensions as observed during induction of general and medullar anesthesias. Cardiac arrest, peroperative anaphylactoid and toxic accidents are treated with epinephrine. In non-cardiac surgery, circulatory insufficiency is usually due to a peripherical origin. Cardiogenic failure occurs in rare cases mainly in vascular surgery. Therefore dopamine remains the first amine to be used in non-cardiac surgery in conjunction with volume expansion. A cardiogenic factor is responsible for most of low-cardiac output syndromes observed after cardiopulmonary bypass for cardiac surgery. However, hypovolemia may be involved and could be undiagnosed. For these reasons, dobutamine is used because of its rapid half-life of elimination and its potent effects. Inodilators (enoximone, amrinone and milrinone) ans nex dopaminergic compound (dopexamine) are powerful vasodilators agents to be introduced with care when association of amines and current vasodilators have failed. Finally, arterial pressure has to be maintained with norepinephrine after dopamine failure. Epinephrine remains last chance.