title: Clinical review: Vasopressin and terlipressin in septic shock patients.
abstract: Vasopressin (antidiuretic hormone) is emerging as a potentially major advance in the treatment of septic shock. Terlipressin (tricyl-lysine-vasopressin) is the synthetic, long-acting analogue of vasopressin, and has comparable pharmacodynamic but different pharmacokinetic properties. Vasopressin mediates vasoconstriction via V1 receptor activation on vascular smooth muscle. Septic shock first causes a transient early increase in blood vasopressin concentrations; these concentrations subsequently decrease to very low levels as compared with those observed with other causes of hypotension. Infusions of 0.01-0.04 U/min vasopressin in septic shock patients increase plasma vasopressin concentrations. This increase is associated with reduced need for other vasopressors. Vasopressin has been shown to result in greater blood flow diversion from nonvital to vital organ beds compared with adrenaline (epinephrine). Of concern is a constant decrease in cardiac output and oxygen delivery, the consequences of which in terms of development of multiple organ failure are not yet known. Terlipressin (one or two boluses of 1 mg) has similar effects, but this drug has been used in far fewer patients. Large randomized clinical trials should be conducted to establish the utility of these drugs as therapeutic agents in patients with septic shock.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, and Trauma Center, Marseilles University Hospital System, Marseilles School of Medicine, Marseilles, France.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Delmas
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leone
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rousseau
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Albanèse
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D050034:Antidiuretic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002302:Cardiac Output; D002648:Child; D004231:Diuresis / Q000502:physiology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects; D008236:Lypressin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000209:etiology; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012756:Sheep; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D013552:Swine; D000077585:Terlipressin; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D050034:Antidiuretic Agents; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D014667:Vasopressins; D008236:Lypressin; D000077585:Terlipressin; D004837:Epinephrine