title: Inotropic response to digoxin and dopamine in patients with severe sepsis, cardiac failure, and systemic hypoperfusion.
abstract: We studied the inotropic response to dopamine and digoxin in 20 patients with severe sepsis and left ventricular failure. Left ventricular failure was defined as a left ventricular stroke work index less than or equal to 40 g.m/m2 at a pulmonary artery wedge pressure greater than or equal to 15 mm Hg. Hemodynamic assessment was obtained before and following administration of digoxin 10 micrograms/kg IV or dopamine, 5 to 12 micrograms/kg/min IV. Patients treated with digoxin demonstrated a significant increase in LVSWI. The LVSWI increased 13 +/- 10 percent in the dopamine-treated patients compared with 74 +/- 16 percent in the digoxin patients (p less than 0.02). We conclude that digoxin exhibited significant inotropic activity in patients with sepsis.
authors.affiliation: University of Health Sciences, Chicago Medical School, IL 60064.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Nasraway
authors.forename: E C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Rackow
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Astiz
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Karras
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Weil
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D001775:Blood Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D004077:Digoxin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D004077:Digoxin; D004298:Dopamine