title: Cardiac performance enhancement from dobutamine in patients refractory to hypervolemic therapy for cerebral vasospasm.
abstract: The use of the beta-agonist dobutamine in combination with hypervolemic preload enhancement of cardiac performance was analyzed in 23 patients who failed to respond to traditional preload enhancement following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. The patients ranged in age from 13 to 82 years, and three had a history of cardiac disease. Each patient underwent placement of a flow-directed balloon-tipped catheter and the following measurements were obtained during hyperdynamic therapy: pulmonary artery wedge pressure, central venous pressure, cardiac index, stroke volume index, total peripheral resistance, and left ventricular stroke work index (LVSWI). Mean baseline cardiac function was found to be within normal limits (LVSWI = 47.6 +/- 4.2 gm/min/sq m and cardiac index = 3.30 +/- 0.22 liter/min/sq m). After baseline measurements were recorded, 5% albumin was infused at 300 cc/hr and dobutamine was initiated at a rate of 5 to 10 micrograms/kg/hr. This hyperdynamic therapy with dobutamine in the presence of volume loading resulted in a 52% increase in cardiac index, a 15% increase in LVSWI, and a 21% decrease in total peripheral resistance. The clinical reversal of ischemic symptoms due to subarachnoid hemorrhage was evident in 18 (78%) of the 23 patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Southern California School of Medicine, Los Angeles.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Rabb
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zelman
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Giannotta
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000187:drug effects; D004280:Dobutamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010952:Plasma Substitutes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D010952:Plasma Substitutes; D004280:Dobutamine