Pulmonary Vasodilators in the Management of Low Cardiac Output Syndrome After Pediatric Cardiac Surgery

• Published in: Current vascular pharmacology Vol. 14; no. 1; p. 37
• Main Authors: Avila-Alvarez, Alejandro, Del Cerro Marin, Maria Jesus, Bautista-Hernandez, Victor
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United Arab Emirates 01-01-2016
• Subjects: Animals; Cardiac Output, Low - drug therapy; Cardiac Output, Low - etiology; Cardiac Surgical Procedures - adverse effects; Cardiac Surgical Procedures - methods; Child; Humans; Hypertension, Pulmonary - complications; Hypertension, Pulmonary - drug therapy; Hypertension, Pulmonary - etiology; Infant, Newborn; Shock - etiology; Shock - prevention & control; Vascular Resistance - drug effects; Vasodilator Agents - administration & dosage; Vasodilator Agents - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 1875-6212
• DOI: 10.2174/1570161113666151014124912

Pulmonary hypertension is among the causes of low cardiac output syndrome after neonatal and pediatric cardiac surgery. In the setting of transient postoperative myocardial dysfunction, even a moderate elevation of pulmonary pressure can result in heart dysfunction and circulatory collapse. Although, specific pharmacological manipulation of pulmonary vascular resistance is frequently required in the perioperative period, there is no widely standardized management. In this review, a systematic literature search of PubMed and MEDLINE databases using relevant terms was performed. All clinical trials and relevant manuscripts, along with important physiological, pharmacological, and evidence-based considerations involving the use of pulmonary vasodilators in the management of low cardiac output syndrome after cardiac surgery were reviewed. This article addresses the fifth of eight topics comprising the special issue entitled "Pharmacologic strategies with afterload reduction in low cardiac output syndrome after pediatric cardiac surgery".