Best practice & research. Clinical anaesthesiology
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Jun 2008
Review"Terlipressin in the treatment of septic shock: the earlier the better"?
Terlipressin, a long-acting vasopressinergic V1 agonist, is increasingly used to increase mean arterial blood pressure in the common setting of catecholamine-refractory septic shock. Traditionally, terlipressin has been used as drug of last resort and administered as intermittent high-dose bolus infusion (1-2 mg every 4 to 6 hours). ⋯ Small-scale clinical studies suggest that low-dose terlipressin, when given as a first-line vasopressor agent, is safe. Randomised, clinical multicenter trials are now needed to investigate whether or not early institution of low-dose continuous terlipressin infusion improves overall outcome of patients suffering from vasodilatory shock states.
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Jun 2008
ReviewVasopressin analogues in the treatment of shock states: potential pitfalls.
Vasopressin analogues are increasingly used for haemodynamic support of catecholamine-refractory, hyperdynamic septic shock. Arginine vasopressin (AVP) and terlipressin (TP) effectively increase mean arterial pressure and reduce catecholamine requirements in this condition. However, the use of either of the drugs may be linked to relevant haemodynamic side effects, including reductions in cardiac output, oxygen delivery and mixed-venous oxygen saturation. ⋯ Maximum doses of 0.03 (-0.067) U min(-1) of AVP or 2 microg kg(-1) h(-1) of TP, respectively, should not be exceeded. Aggressive fluid therapy may prevent adverse haemodynamic effects linked to infusion of either AVP or TP. Finally, platelet count, surrogate variables of hepatic dysfunction, electrolytes and osmolality should be strictly monitored in patients treated with vasopressin analogues.
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Best Pract Res Clin Anaesthesiol · Jun 2008
ReviewArginine vasopressin vs. terlipressin in the treatment of shock states.
The synthetic vasopressin analogue, terlipressin, is being increasingly used to treat catecholamine-resistant hypotension in septic shock and other conditions. While terlipressin holds some theoretical and anecdotal advantages over vasopressin, this has not been formally tested in prospective randomised trials. This review analyses the published literature and makes comparisons, where possible, between vasopressin and terlipressin.
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With recent advances in surgical and anaesthetic management, clinical medicine has responded to societal expectations and the number of operations in patients with a high-risk of perioperative liver failure has increased over the last decades. This review will outline important pathophysiological alterations common in patients with pre-existing liver impairment and thus highlight the anaesthetic challenge to minimise perioperative liver insults. It will focus on the intraoperative balancing act to reduce blood loss while maintaining adequate liver perfusion, the various anaesthetic agents used and their specific effects on hepatic function, perfusion and toxicity. Furthermore, it will discuss advances in pharmacological and ischaemic preconditioning and summarise the results of recent clinical trials.
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The ability to reduce brain injury before, during or after an ischaemic injury, irrespective of the cause, remains an exciting prospect. In this article, we will discuss some of the current research behind cerebral protection, which will include the use of anaesthetic agents, as well as therapies targeted specifically at the complex cascades following brain injury.