Management of heart failure in cardiac surgical patients: amrinone and other pharmacologic agents.

The pharmacologic treatment of heart failure and low cardiac output syndrome in the cardiac surgical patient continues to be a challenge in the nursing management of these patients. While the catecholamines have been of proven inotropic benefit over the years, their inherit risks of increased myocardial oxygen consumption, tachyphylaxis and poor tolerance in many patients have lead to the search for other medications to augment cardiac performance. Amrinone, the only drug available for use in the U.S. from the class of phosphodiesterase inhibitors, acts as both an inotrope and vasodilator to increase cardiac output without an increase in myocardial oxygen consumption. This paper reviews pharmacological management of heart failure in the cardiac surgical patient and nursing considerations specific to amrinone and combination inotropic therapy management.