[Haemodynamic effects of dopamine, sodium nitroprusside and the association dopamine-sodium nitroprusside. Comparison of their effects after extra-corporeal circulation under deep hypothermia for congenital heart defects in infants and small children (author's transl)].

Heart rate, cardiac index measured by thermodilution, systolic diastolic and mean arterial pressure, mean left and right atrial pressures, were measured immediately before and after 30 minutes of dopamine infusion at a rate of 7 micrograms/kg/minute, then after 30 minutes of nitroprusside infusion at a rate of 0.5 micrograms/kg/minute, and after 30 minutes of association dopamine-nitroprusside at the same doses. The statistical analysis shows that the best enhancement in the cardiac output is observed (P less than 0.01) after the association dopamine-nitroprusside, with a diminution of systemic vascular resistance (P less than 0.05) however less important than that observed with sodium nitroprusside alone (P less than 0.025).