Comparative haemodynamic dose-response effects of dobutamine and amrinone in left ventricular failure complicating...

The comparative haemodynamic dose-response effects of intravenous (i.v.) amrinone and dobutamine were evaluated in 20 male patients with haemodynamic (pulmonary artery occluded pressure (PAOP) greater than 20 mm Hg) and radiographic left heart failure following a recent myocardial infarction. Following a 1-h control period, 10 patients were each randomised to amrinone (800, 1,600, or 3,200 micrograms/kg/h) or dobutamine (200, 400, or 800 micrograms/kg/h) sequentially infused for 30 min at each dose level; haemodynamic parameters were recorded at the end of each infusion period. Amrinone reduced systemic arterial blood pressure and vascular resistance index with a moderately increased heart rate; PAOP (-10 mm Hg; p less than 0.01) fell substantially without change in cardiac or stroke work indices. Dobutamine increased systemic arterial blood pressure, heart rate, and stroke work index at an unchanged PAOP; cardiac index (+0.7 L/min/m2; 25%; p less than 0.01) increased. Systemic vascular resistance index was significantly reduced by both drugs. Thus, dobutamine increased cardiac index at an unchanged PAOP; myocardial stroke work increased. Amrinone had lesser effect on cardiac pumping but reduced PAOP (preload) at an unchanged stroke work. The implications of these differential actions for the clinical therapy of myocardial infarction deserves further evaluation.