title: An overview of inotropic agents.
abstract: The use of inotropic agents has been surrounded by many controversies. Recent guidelines for the treatment of patients with chronic and acute heart failure have elucidated some of the issues, but many remain. As a result, a substantial variability in the use of agents between institutions and caregivers remains, which mainly results from the lack of uniform data in the literature. Prospective randomized trials with a long-term follow-up and sufficient power are clearly needed, and a number of trials are currently in progress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. M.B.VROOM@amc.uva.nl
authors.forename: Margreeth B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Vroom
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002303:Cardiac Output, Low / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; D014665:Vasodilator Agents