Hemodynamic effects of dobutamine in patients below and over 65 years, with left heart failure secondary to an acute myocardial infarction.

The cardiac response to sympathomimetic agents has been reported to be reduced in the elderly. We studied the hemodynamic effects of dobutamine in two groups of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and left heart failure: group A included 10 patients aged 65 years or less and group B 10 others older than 65. After a 1-hour infusion the increase in cardiac index was highly significant in both groups (27%, p less than 0.001 and 25%, p less than 0.001), and the decrease in pulmonary wedge pressure was greater in group A (42%, p less than 0.001 and 17%, p less than 0.02). The increase in double product was similar in both groups (14%, p less than 0.001 and 18%, p less than 0.005); nevertheless the 4 patients developing angina pectoris during dobutamine infusion were over 65 years. We conclude that dobutamine remains effective in the elderly with AMI and left heart failure but is less well tolerated.