BACKGROUND: AVP (arginine vasopressin) shows unique hemodynamic characteristics, as a vasopressor. AVP has been tried in many cathecholamine refractory vasodilatory situations, and sometimes resulted in effective hemodynamic improvement. In this study, we hypothesized that low dose AVP infusion could recover the decreased SVR (systemic vascular resistance) induced by milrinone infusion with minimal effect on PVR (pulmonary vascular resistance). METHODS: Sixteen patients undergoing OPCAB participated in this study. After a loading dose milrinone was infused, low dose vasopressin infusion was started and titrated until the systemic blood pressure increased by 20%. During the study, hemodynamic factors including pulmonary capillary wedge pressure and cardiac output were measured using a continuous thermodilution technique with a Swan-Ganz catheter. RESULTS: Milrinone infusion reduced both SVR and PVR. And vasopression infusion increased SVR, but show relatively less effect on PVR. CONCLUSIONS: Low-dose vasopressin infusion could be used to recover the SVR decrease caused by milirinone infusion with little effect on PVR.
Blood Pressure ; Cardiac Output ; Catheters ; Hemodynamics* ; Humans ; Milrinone* ; Pulmonary Wedge Pressure ; Thermodilution ; Vasopressins*

Milrinone is a positive inotropic/vasodilator agent in both preclinical and clinical studies. Milrinone has been shown previously to inhibit specific type III PDE isolated from different sources. To investigate the effect and the mechanism of milrinone on the corpus cavernosum, we have studied on the human and rabbit corpus cavernosum using organ bath and measured the levels of cAMP and cGMP after treatment of milrinone and papaverine. Our results show that milrinone relaxes human and rabbit corpus cavernosal tissue in a dose- dependent manner. And significant increases in cAMP content were evident with milrinone. These indicate that the accumulation of cAMP resulting from the inhibition of type III PDE plays an important role in milrinone on rabbit corpus cavernosum. And these may reflect the impotence of cAMP dependent second messenger systems for the relaxation of penile smooth muscle. These results suggest a possible potential for milrinone in the treatment of impotence.
Baths ; Erectile Dysfunction ; Humans* ; Male ; Milrinone* ; Muscle, Smooth ; Papaverine ; Relaxation ; Second Messenger Systems

BACKGROUND: Dobutamine, isoproterenol, and milrinone are inotropic agents with vasodilatory properties, and are frequently used perioperatively. We undertook to examine the effects of these three drugs on the pulmonary vasculature, excluding cardiovascular effects, by determining their effects on pulmonary artery pressure and hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction in an isolated rat lung model. METHODS: Thirty Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into a dobutamine group (n = 10), an isoproterenol group (n = 10) and a milrinone group (n = 10). Dobutamine 50microgram, 500microgram, and 5,000microgram, isoproterenol 0.4microgram, 4microgram, and 40microgram, and milrinone 2.5microgram, 25microgram, and 250microgram were added to perfusate sequentially during normoxic ventilation (21% O2-5% CO2-balanced N2). Baseline pulmonary artery pressure changes and subsequent hypoxic pressor responses during hypoxic ventilation (5% O2-5% CO2-balanced N2) were observed. RESULTS: Dobutamine, isoproterenol, and milrinone all decreased baseline pulmonary artery pressures and hypoxic pressor responses in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). The last dose listed for each of the three drugs reversed hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction nearly completely. The calculated dose required to reduce the hypoxic pressor response to 50% of the initial response before drug administration (ED50) was 155microgram (95% CI: 80-263microgram) for dobutamine, 0.23microgram (95% CI: 0.011-0.75 microgram) for isoproterenol and 6.31microgram (95% CI: 3.1-10.8microgram) for milrinone. The relative potency of the drugs on HPV, based on ED50 was dobutamine 10: isoproterenol 0.015: and milrinone 0.41. CONCLUSIONS: Dobutamine, isoproterenol, and milrinone all reduced pulmonary vascular resistance and hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction in a dose dependent manner. (Korean J Anesthesiol 2004; 46: 454~461)
Animals ; Dobutamine* ; Isoproterenol* ; Lung* ; Milrinone* ; Pulmonary Artery ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Vascular Resistance ; Vasoconstriction* ; Ventilation

BACKGROUND: Hemodynamic derangement during off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery (OPCAB) is mainly attributed to impaired filling and diastolic dysfunction. An elevated ratio of the mitral velocity to the early-diastolic velocity of the mitral annulus (E/e' > 15) is a relatively new indicator of diastolic function, and this was reported to be associated with impaired hemodynamics during OPCAB. We investigated the efficacy of milrinone on the perioperative hemodynamics and short term outcomes of patients with an E/e' > 15 and who underwent OPCAB. METHODS: The patients were randomly allocated into either group C (control, n = 31) or group M (n = 31) and they were treated with the same amount of either normal saline or milrinone (0.5 microg/kg/min) without bolus loading after completion of internal mammary artery harvest until the end of operation. Hemodynamic measurements were recorded after the induction of anesthesia (T1), 5 min after starting each distal anastomosis of the left anterior descending artery (T2), left circumflex artery (T3) and right coronary artery (T4), and 5 min after sternum closure (T5). RESULTS: The mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO2) was lower through T2-T4 compared to the baseline value in both groups, while the degree of the decrease was significantly less in group M than that in group C. The other hemodynamic variables, the operative data and the postoperative outcomes were similar between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative infusion of milrinone did not significantly improve the perioperative hemodynamics and the subsequent short term outcomes for the patients with preexisting diastolic dysfunction as represented by an elevated E/e' value, although it reduced the degree of decrease of the SvO2 during OPCAB.
Anesthesia ; Arteries ; Coronary Artery Bypass, Off-Pump ; Coronary Vessels ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Mammary Arteries ; Milrinone ; Oxygen ; Sternum

BACKGROUND: The aims of this study were to test if amrinone or milrinone reverses cardiac depression induced by the exposure to isoflurane in the isolated heart and to determine whether amrinone or milrinone dilates the coronary artery directly. METHODS: Using the isolated Sprague-Dawley rat hearts, heart rate, left ventricular pressure, dp/dt (differentiated rate of pressure development), O2 delivery(DO2), myocardial oxygen consumption(MVO2), and percent O2 extraction were measured. After the isolated hearts were exposed to isoflurane at 1.2 vol% during 10 min, amrinone(10, 50, 100 M) or milrinone(1, 5, 10 M) was separately given to six groups. RESULTS: Amrinone and milrinone reversed, not statistically significant, the depression of cardiac contractility induced by isoflurane, while the isoflurane-induced bradycardia substantially returned to normal by amrinone 100 M. And amrinone and milrinone elevated coronary flow, DO2, MVO2, while isoflurane increased in coronary flow and DO2, except MVO2. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that amrinone and milrinone did not counteract the isoflurane-induced cardiac depression and indirectly increased in coronary blood flow through the elevation of cardiac work.
Amrinone* ; Animals ; Bradycardia ; Coronary Vessels ; Depression ; Heart Rate ; Heart* ; Isoflurane ; Milrinone* ; Myocardium* ; Oxygen ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Ventricular Pressure

Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) assumes its' most severe form when accompanied by pulmonary atresia (PA). Preserving the patent ductus arteriosus to maintain pulmonary blood flow is life-saving for patients with this congenital heart disease. Milrinone, a selective phosphodiesterase III inhibitor, is a potent vasodilator. Here, we report the successful use of milrinone for a newborn infant with TOF and PA for keeping the ductus arteriosus open and thereby maintaining pulmonary circulation. Milrinone is a useful drug because of its inotropic, lusitropic, and pulmonary vasodilating effects, in addition to its ability to keep the ductus arteriosus open and its relatively mild side-effects. Case series and comparative studies will be needed in the future to verify the effectiveness of this drug.
Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 3 ; Ductus Arteriosus ; Ductus Arteriosus, Patent ; Heart Diseases ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Milrinone ; Pulmonary Atresia ; Pulmonary Circulation ; Tetralogy of Fallot

BACKGROUND: Desflurane depresses the contractile function of the myocardium. It also causes direct coronary vasodilation. Milrinone, a phosphodiesterase III inhibitor, usually increases myocardial contractility and also has vasodilatory activity. Some inhalation anesthetic agents, such as isoflurane, are safely combined with phosphodiesterase III inhibitors clinically, but milrinone sometimes causes significant hypotension by reducing systemic vascular resistance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the combined use of desflurane and milrinone on the function of the isolated rat heart. METHOD: Thirty isolated rat hearts were divided into two groups. [Group 1 (n = 15): desflurane, Group 2 (n = 15): desflurane and milrinone] They were perfused continuously with modified Krebs' solution in a Langendorff retrograde perfusion apparatus. After measuring the control values of the hemodynamic and oxygenation parameters in each group, we administered 6.6 vol% of desflurane to both groups and added sequential perfusion of modified Krebs' solution containing 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5mug/ml of milrinone in Group 2 and then measured the parameters and analyzed them statistically. RESULTS: Baseline measurements in both groups were not statistically different. In Group 1, desflurane significantly decreased LVP (55+/-5 mmHg), dp/dt (557+/-65 mmHg/sec) and MVO2 (71.2+/-16.3 ml/g/min) after 15 minutes. CF (13.9+/-3.1 ml/g/min) and DO2 (176.7+/-43.4 ml/g/min) were increased after 15 minutes. There was no further change after this. In Group 2, desflurane decreased LVP (53+/-18 mmHg), dp/dt (558 90 mmHg/sec) and MVO2 (72.0+/-11.0 ml/g/min) and increased CF (14.2+/-1.9 ml/g/min) and DO2 (175.3+/-29.1 ml/g/min). But, there was no significant difference in the effects of desflurane between the two groups. Milrinone restored LVP, dp/dt and MVO2 to the baseline level, but not with dose-dependency. Desflurane-induced elevated CF and DO2 did not show further changes. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that milrinone increased myocardial contractility and restored the desflurane-induced myocardial depression of the isolated rat heart without further increase of oxygen consumption from the baseline control value. In addition, no additive effects was observed on coronary blood flow when these two agents were used in combination.
Anesthetics ; Animals ; Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 3 ; Depression ; Heart* ; Hemodynamics ; Hypotension ; Inhalation ; Isoflurane ; Milrinone* ; Myocardium ; Oxygen ; Oxygen Consumption ; Perfusion ; Rats* ; Vascular Resistance ; Vasodilation

Alcohol embolization or sclerotherapy has been commonly used for a treatment of arteriovenous malformation (AVM). Alcohol sclerotherapy frequently produces minor local complications but may rarely produce catastrophic cardiopulmonary complications. In this case, general anesthesia was induced and the pulmonary artery pressure was monitored. After absolute alcohol (99.6% ethanol) injection, the systolic pulmonary artery pressure was increased, the systemic blood pressure was decreased and the EKG rhythm revealed supraventricular tachycardia and atrial fibrillation. Nitroglycerine, dobutamine, and milrinone infusions were started for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension. The EKG was restored to normal sinus rhythm two hours after judicious fluid administration and other vital signs were also recovered. The anesthesiologists must be aware of potentially serious cardiopulmonary complications possible with alcohol sclerotherapy and be prepared to manage severe cardiovascular compromise.
Anesthesia, General ; Arteriovenous Malformations ; Atrial Fibrillation ; Blood Pressure ; Dobutamine ; Electrocardiography ; Ethanol ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; Lower Extremity ; Milrinone ; Nitroglycerin ; Pulmonary Artery ; Sclerotherapy ; Tachycardia, Supraventricular ; Vital Signs

Severe portopulmonary hypertension (PPHT) is considered a contraindication for liver transplantation (LT) because of the associated high mortality and poor prognosis. We report the case of a 57-year-old cirrhotic woman with severe PPHT (mean pulmonary artery pressure [mPAP] > 65 mmHg), who underwent a successful living donor LT. Intra-operative use of inhaled iloprost, milrinone, dobutamine, and postoperative use of inhaled nitric oxide and oral sildenafil failed to lower the pulmonary artery pressure (PAP). The patient responded only to nitroglycerin and drainage of massive ascites. Meticulous intra-operative volume control, which included minimizing blood loss and subsequent transfusion, was carried out. The use of vasopressors, which may have elevated the PAP, was strictly restricted. Intra-operative PAP did not show an increase, and the hemodynamics was maintained within relatively normal range, compared to the preoperative state. The patient was discharged without any complications or related symptoms.
Ascites ; Dobutamine ; Drainage ; Female ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Iloprost ; Liver Transplantation* ; Living Donors ; Middle Aged ; Milrinone ; Mortality ; Nitric Oxide ; Nitroglycerin ; Prognosis ; Pulmonary Artery ; Reference Values ; Sildenafil Citrate

Pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents is one of the most frightening complications during anesthesia. Although pulmonary aspiration of gastric contents in general surgical patients is not common and resulting long-term morbidity and mortality are rare, severe hypoxemia and other sequelae of pulmonary aspiration continue to be reported. We report a case of massive aspiration of gastric contents during induction of general anesthesia, resulting in cardiac arrest due to severe pulmonary hypertension and myocardial infarction. Sustained cardiac arrest and shock that did not respond the conventional resuscitation was successfully treated using milrinone. The patient was discharged without complications in 20 days.
Anesthesia ; Anesthesia, General ; Anoxia ; Heart Arrest ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary ; Milrinone* ; Mortality ; Myocardial Infarction ; Respiratory Aspiration of Gastric Contents ; Resuscitation ; Shock ; Shock, Cardiogenic*