Critical care medicine
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Critical care medicine · Dec 2017
The β-Blocker Esmolol Restores the Vascular Waterfall Phenomenon After Acute Endotoxemia.
A vascular waterfall occurs when the critical closing pressure is greater than the mean systemic filling pressure. Because the waterfall phenomenon likely exists in the microcirculation, β1-receptor blockers such as esmolol could have some effect on microcirculation and vascular waterfall. ⋯ Vascular pressure gradients in renal vasculature suggest the presence of a vascular waterfall at baseline. Although this phenomenon disappeared in endotoxemic dogs, it could be restored with β-blocker therapy (esmolol).