Norepinephrine: more of a neurohormone than a vasopressor
1Division of Critical Care and Trauma, The George Institute for Global Health, Level 7, 341 George Street, Sydney 2000, Australia. j.myburgh@unsw.edu.au
Abstract:
Septic shock causes unpredictable cardiovascular responses through adrenoreceptor-mediated changes in cardiac function and vascular responsiveness. The use of norepinephrine should be regarded as neurohormonal augmentation therapy to defend decompensating haemodynamic function rather than as a rescue therapy to treat shock. Recent trials represent a perceptible change in clinical practice to preferentially use norepinephrine early in resuscitation to defend the mean arterial pressure and to use norepinephrine as a neurohormone rather than as a vasopressor.
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