title: Catecholamines and vasopressin during critical illness.
abstract: In critical care medicine, catecholamines are most widely used to reverse circulatory dysfunction and thus to restore tissue perfusion. However, catecholamines not only influence systemic and regional hemodynamics, but also exert a variety of significant metabolic, endocrine, and immunologic effects. Arginine vasopressin is a vasomodulatory hormone with potency to restore vascular tone in vasodilatory hypotension. Although the evidence supporting the use of low doses of vasopressin or its analogs in vasodilatory shock is increasing, lack of data regarding mortality and morbidity prevent their implementation in critical care protocols.
authors.affiliation: Département de Réanimation Médicale, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, 4 rue Larry, 49993 Angers Cedex 9, France.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Asfar
authors.forename: Balázs
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hauser
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Radermacher
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matejovic
mesh_terms: D002395:Catecholamines / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016638:Critical Illness; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D017483:Receptors, Vasopressin / Q000819:agonists; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012769:Shock / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D013152:Splanchnic Circulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines; D017483:Receptors, Vasopressin; D014667:Vasopressins