title: Response to nitric oxide during adult cardiac surgery.
abstract: Pulmonary hypertension is associated with significant morbidity and mortality in adult cardiac surgery patients. Inhaled nitric oxide is known to be a selective pulmonary vasodilator in this setting. However, it is not known which cardiac surgery patients benefit most from nitric oxide therapy. This study sought to prospectively determine whether a patient's baseline pulmonary vascular resistance could be used to predict responsiveness to inhaled nitric oxide therapy. Subjects were 30 consecutive cardiac surgery patients with pulmonary hypertension immediately prior to induction of anesthesia. There were 2 study groups: Group 1 (n = 15) had an initial pulmonary vascular resistance between 125 and 300 dyn-s/cm5, while group 2 (n = 15) had an initial pulmonary vascular resistance of greater than 300 dyn-s/cm5. Both groups were empirically treated with inhaled nitric oxide (30 ppm) upon separation from bypass. The conduct of anesthesia, surgery, and cardiopulmonary bypass were controlled. A therapeutic algorithm dictated the use of vasoactive substances for all patients. Heart rate, mean arterial pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance, peripheral vascular resistance, cardiac index, and right ventricular ejection fraction were monitored throughout the operative experience. Patients with a higher initial pulmonary vascular resistance had a significantly greater percent reduction in pulmonary vascular resistance after the initiation of nitric oxide therapy. This study suggests that pulmonary vascular resistance is more dramatically affected by inhaled nitric oxide in cardiac surgery patients with a greater degree of pulmonary hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA. asolina@umdnj.edu
authors.forename: Alann R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Solina
authors.forename: Steven H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ginsberg
authors.forename: Denes
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Papp
authors.forename: Enrique J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Pantin
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Denny
authors.forename: Ilankeeran
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ghandivel
authors.forename: Tyrone J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Krause
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000187:drug effects; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide