title: Pressors and inotropes.
abstract: To effectively treat an aging and increasingly complex patient population, emergency physicians and other acute-care providers must be comfortable with the use of vasopressors, inotropes, and chronotropes. These medicines are used to augment the cardiovascular function of critically ill patients. Each class of medication produces a different hemodynamic effect. Some agents produce only one of these actions, whereas others have multiple effects. For the emergency physician, these agents are used with the explicit goal of preserving vital organ perfusion during acute and severe illness. This article reviews the physiologic receptors targeted by such drugs, common agents used, and specific clinical indications for their use.
authors.affiliation: Section of Emergency Medicine, LSU Health Sciences Center, 5th Floor Rm 548W, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA. Electronic address: joekanter@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Joe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kanter
authors.affiliation: Section of Emergency Medicine, LSU Health Sciences Center, 5th Floor Rm 548W, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: DeBlieux
mesh_terms: D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000628:therapy; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000628:therapy; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications; D012770:Shock, Cardiogenic / Q000628:therapy; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000503:physiopathology; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D004298:Dopamine; D004837:Epinephrine
keywords: Chronotropes; Hemodynamic effect; Inotropes; Vasopressors