Amrinone: a weaning agent in catecholamine dependence

Amrinone, a new inotropic agent, has been used successfully in refractory chronic congestive heart failure. Intravenous and subsequently oral amrinone administered in a setting of acute myocardial infarction and dopamine dependence allowed the catecholamine to be successfully weaned after volume loading, digitalization and vasoconstrictors failed to terminate dopamine dependence. There was the expected fall in filling pressure and increase in cardiac index and ejection fraction. Intravenous amrinone may be tried in refractory catecholamine dependence after conventional weaning methods have failed.