| Title | Terlipressin facilitates transport of septic patients treated with norepinephrine. | | Author(s) | Klein M, Weksler N, Borer A, Koyfman L, Kesslin J, Gurman GM | | Institution | Department of Critical Care, Division of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Soroka University Hospital, Beer Sheva, Israel. motiklein@yahoo.com | | Source | Isr Med Assoc J 2006 Oct; 8(10):691-3. | | Abstract | BACKGROUND: Transport of hemodynamic unstable septic patients for diagnostic or therapeutic interventions outside the intensive care unit is complex but sometimes contributes to increasing the chance of survival.
OBJECTIVES: To report our experience with terlipressin treatment for facilitation of transport to distant facilities for diagnostic or therapeutic procedures in septic patients treated with norepinephrine.
METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of the records of our ICU, identifying the patients with septic shock who required norepinephrine for hemodynamic support.
RESULTS: Terlipressin was given to 30 septic shock patients (15 females and 15 males) who were on high dose norepinephrine (10 microg/min or more) in order to facilitate their transport outside the ICU. The dose of terlipressin ranged from 1 to 4 mg, with a mean of 2.13+/-0.68 mg. The dose of norepinephrine needed to maintain systolic blood pressure above 100 mmHg decreased following terlipressin administration, from 21.9+/-10.4 microg/min (range 5-52 microg/min) to 1.0+/-1.95 (range 0-10) (P < 0.001). No patients required norepinephrine dose adjustment during transport. No serious complications or overshoot in blood pressure values were observed following terlipressin administration. Acrocyanosis occurred only in eight patients receiving more than 1 mg of the drug. The overall mortality rate was 50%.
CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that terlipressin is effective in septic shock. Because it is long-acting and necessitates less titration it might be indicated for patient transportation. | | Language | eng | | Pub Type(s) | Journal Article
| | PubMed ID | 17125115 |
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