Inotropes

Not to be mistaken with the curriculum item Endogenous regulation of vascular tone

Noradrenaline vs adrenaline

Norad: alpha > beta agonism

  • → ↑ SVR
  • our fav for sepsis
  • ⚠️ reflex bradycardia

Adrenaline: beta > alpha

  • our unproblematic fav for arrest, low flow state
  • → positive inotropy/chronotropy
  • alpha at higher doses preserves coronary and cerebral blood flow?
  • second line
  • endogenous peptide
  • think about shock dose steroids if septic and reaching for the VP
  • action: antidiuresis + SVR + platelet aggregation + PVR
    also used for varices?? (I guess like terlipressin) and non-nephrogenic DI

metaraminol

our other unproblematic fav - we like it because low potency
alpha 1 agonist
like norad, can cause reflex bradycardia
tachyphylaxis (depletion of norad)

Other bits
Target receptor Directly acts on alpha-1 and beta-1 receptors
Metabolism Not metabolised, it seems (not susceptible to COMT or MAO)
Elimination Eliminated slowly over hours/days. Distribution half-life is rapid(minutes).
Time course of action Effect lasts 20-60 minutes

norad vs metaraminol?

Similar effects to norad
Pulm arterial vasoconstrictor
Giuseppe et al 2005

enoximone

phosphodiesterase inhibitor - inodilator effect

sympathomimetic - alpha and beta agonist action
↑ SV, positive chronotropy, ↓ pulmonary resistance at higher doses
does not affect release of endogenous noradrenaline
tolerance