Category: Critical care

In intensive care units, vasoactive medications are used in approximately one-fourth of cases, demonstrating their importance in managing life-threatening conditions. So, **what is a vasoactive drip**? It is a continuous intravenous infusion of potent drugs designed to manage severe hemodynamic instability, such as in cases of shock or heart failure.

Hyperosmolar therapy has been used since the early 20th century to manage cerebral edema. **What is an example of hyperosmolar therapy?** Common examples include the intravenous administration of mannitol or hypertonic saline, which create an osmotic gradient to shift fluid and reduce pressure in the brain.

Intraoperative hypotension (IOH), defined in many settings as a mean arterial pressure (MAP) below 65 mmHg, is a common occurrence affecting a significant number of surgical patients. Timely and appropriate treatment is vital, as untreated IOH is strongly linked to a higher risk of postoperative complications, including acute kidney injury and myocardial injury. Understanding **How is hypotension treated during surgery?** is a cornerstone of modern anesthetic management aimed at maximizing patient safety.

According to a 2024 NCBI review, vasopressin is unique among common vasopressors for having no direct chronotropic or inotropic effects on the heart. This key pharmacological detail helps answer the question, "Which vasopressor doesn't affect heart rate?", though its overall clinical effect is more complex due to indirect mechanisms.

Vasopressor drugs are used in about one-fourth of intensive care unit cases to manage critically low blood pressure [1.2.3]. So, how do vasopressors treat shock? They work by constricting blood vessels to raise blood pressure and ensure vital organs receive oxygen-rich blood [1.2.3].

According to the FDA, adverse reactions to Levophed (norepinephrine) include ischemic injury, cardiac arrhythmias, and anxiety. Understanding what are the side effects of Levophed is crucial, as this potent medication is used in emergency situations to treat life-threatening low blood pressure (hypotension).

Septic shock has a mortality rate that can range from 30% to 50% [1.8.5]. A critical part of management is reversing hypotension, which raises the question: **why is norepinephrine preferred in sepsis** as the first-line vasopressor? [1.5.5, 1.4.6]

According to the Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines, norepinephrine is the recommended first-line vasopressor for septic shock. This article delves into the precise pharmacological and clinical reasons for prioritizing norepinephrine to combat the circulatory collapse and organ dysfunction that define this life-threatening condition.

In septic shock, norepinephrine is the recommended primary vasopressor, with vasopressin often added to help raise blood pressure or reduce the norepinephrine dose [1.2.1, 1.3.4]. As patients stabilize, the crucial question becomes: which vasopressor should I turn off first?

Approximately 6.7 million Americans over age 20 have heart failure, a condition where medications that modify heart muscle contraction are often essential [1.6.1]. **What is an inotropic agent?** It is a class of drugs that alters the force of the heart's contractions to improve blood circulation [1.2.3].