Intravenous isoprenaline in treatment of septic shock in man

Intravenous isoprenaline was given to 10 patients in septic shock, of which occult myocardial failure was the main indication. Isoprenaline expedited recovery in cases of "benign hypotension," where kidney function paradoxically remained satisfactory at low systolic pressures, and was useful in cases of "cold hypotension" which were complicated by renal failure alone. No significant improvement occurred in cases which were complicated by both massive pulmonary oedema and acute renal failure.