title: Terlipressin-induced metabolic acidosis.
abstract: Vasopressin and its analogue terlipressin are potent vasoconstrictors which reduce mesenteric blood flow and have been used in the therapy of variceal hemorrhage. This vasoconstrictor effect applies on vascular beds throughout the body. Since in literature vasopressin is rarely described to determine lactic acidosis, we report of a patient in whom a severe metabolic (probably lactic) acidosis appeared, associated with terlipressin administration for bleeding esophageal varices. By exclusion, the temporal sequence with terlipressin therapy, the contemporary increase of arterial blood pressure and autoptic data in the case presented make likely a diagnosis of terlipressin-induced lactic acidosis. Because of the seriousness of metabolic acidosis observed in our patient we suggest a careful monitoring of acid-base parameters in patients under treatment with vasopressin analogues.
authors.affiliation: III Divisione di Medicina, Ospedale Fatebenefratelli e oftalmico, Milano.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Foresti
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Parisio
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ungaro
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Filippi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Confalonieri
mesh_terms: D000138:Acidosis / Q000139:chemically induced*; D000140:Acidosis, Lactic / Q000139:chemically induced; D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices / Q000150:complications; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008236:Lypressin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077585:Terlipressin
chemical_list: D008236:Lypressin; D000077585:Terlipressin