American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology
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Am. J. Physiol. Heart Circ. Physiol. · Jul 2015
Effects of milrinone and epinephrine or dopamine on biventricular function and hemodynamics in an animal model with right ventricular failure after pulmonary artery banding.
Right ventricular (RV) failure due to chronic pressure overload is a main determinant of outcome in congenital heart disease. Medical management is challenging because not only contractility but also the interventricular relationship is important for increasing cardiac output. This study evaluated the effect of milrinone alone and in combination with epinephrine or dopamine on hemodynamics, ventricular performance, and the interventricular relationship. ⋯ A more pronounced increase in biventricular contractility was observed in the dopamine-treated animals. LV volume was reduced in both the dopamine and epinephrine groups with increasing doses In the failing pressure overloaded RV, milrinone improved CI and increased contractility. Albeit additional dose-dependent effects of both epinephrine and dopamine on CI and contractility, neither of the interventions improved SVI due to reduced filling of the LV.