title: Assessment of the inotropic and vasodilator effects of amrinone versus isoproterenol.
abstract: The hemodynamic effects of graded-dose infusions of amrinone (maximal dose 30 micrograms/kg/min) (10 patients) and isoproterenol (maximum dose 4 micrograms/min) (11 patients) were assessed in patients with a range of left ventricular (LV) function. LV ejection fraction ranged from 0.13 to 0.77 (mean +/- standard deviation 0.47 +/- 0.23) among the patients who received amrinone and from 0.24 to 0.77 (mean 0.52 +/- 0.18) among those who received isoproterenol. Peak-dose amrinone produced a reduction in LV filling pressure (from 15 +/- 10 to 10 +/- 7 mm Hg, p less than 0.001), but no significant change in heart rate, cardiac output, mean aortic pressure, total systemic vascular resistance (TSVR) or LV dP/dt max. In contrast, peak-dose isoproterenol produced a similar reduction in LV filling pressure (from 17 +/- 12 to 13 +/- 13 mm Hg, p less than 0.05), but also caused increases in heart rate, cardiac output and LV dP/dt max and decreases in mean aortic pressure and TSVR (p less than 0.001). The absolute change in cardiac output and stroke volume correlated closely with the change in TSVR in response to amrinone (r = -0.90, p less than 0.001 and r = -0.84, p = 0.002, respectively), but not in response to isoproterenol. Although isoproterenol produced a marked increase in cardiac output and LV dP/dt max (not explained by heart rate changes alone) in all patients, amrinone produced an increase in cardiac output only in those with markedly elevated LV filling pressures (who had a reduction in TSVR), and an increase in LV dP/dt in a minority.
mesh_terms: D000631:Aminopyridines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000676:Amrinone; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000187:drug effects; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007545:Isoproterenol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011669:Pulmonary Wedge Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000187:drug effects; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000631:Aminopyridines; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D000676:Amrinone; D007545:Isoproterenol