Cardiac ischemia in patients with septic shock randomized to vasopressin or narepinephrine

Cardiac ischemia in patients with septic shock randomized to vasopressin or norepinephrine. Critical care, June 2013, 17:R117

Mehta, S., et al.

http://ccforum.com/content/pdf/cc12789.pdf

Cardiac ischemia occurs frequently in critically ill patients, and is associated with increased mortality. Given that most critically ill patients cannot communicate symptoms, the diagnosis of cardiac ischemia can be challenging and necessitates that clinicians rely on cardiac biomarkers and electrocardiograms (ECGs). Patients receiving vasopressors may be at even higher risk of cardiac ischemia than other patients because of coronary artery vasoconstriction, increased systemic vasoconstriction-induced afterload, or catecholamine-driven increases in myocardial oxygen demand.