Clinical experience with systemic vasodilator therapy in the newborn infant

Newborn infants with impaired myocardial performance may not respond to inotropic drugs and volume loading. Vasodilator therapy was tried in 10 such patients and in most there was improvement in peripheral perfusion, blood pH, arterial oxygenation, blood pressure and urine output. No complications of these drugs were detected. Vasodilator therapy has a role in the management of the acutely sick newborn infant with clinical signs of low cardiac output.