In: Nursing
what type of iv medication would you use for heart faliure and why would the client receive this be specific?
Positive inotropic agents used to treat heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) include intravenous phosphodiesterase (PDE)-3 inhibitors (eg, milrinone), beta adrenergic receptor agonists (eg, dobutamine), intravenous calcium-sensitizing agents (eg, levosimendan)
Milrinone, commonly known and marketed under the brand name
Primacor, is a medication used in patients who have heart failure.
It is a phosphodiesterase 3 inhibitor that works to increase the
heart's contractility and decrease pulmonary vascular
resistance.
Dobutamine is a medication used in the treatment of cardiogenic
shock and severe heart failure. It may also be used in certain
types of cardiac stress tests. It is given by injection into a vein
or intraosseous as a continuous infusion. The amount of medication
needs to be adjusted to the desired effect.
Levosimendan is a calcium sensitiser that can be administered
intravenously (IV) to patients with acute decompensated congestive
heart failure (CHF). At therapeutic dosages levosimendan enhances
myocardial contractility without increasing oxygen requirements,
and causes coronary and systemic vasodilation.