hemodynamics

Sodium nitroprusside (SNP, Nipride/Nitropress) is a short-acting, intravenous antihypertensive that directly acts on venous AND arteriolar smooth muscle to cause vasodilation decreasing preload, afterload, and left ventricular (LV) impedance. As an intensivist and cardiac...

Verapamil (Calan/Verelan) is an oral and intravenous non-dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker (CCB) which is more selective for L-type calcium channels on cardiac muscle than vascular smooth muscle. In comparison, dihydropyridine CCBs like nicardipine and...

Metoprolol (Lopressor) is a selective beta-1 receptor blocker used primarily to decrease heart rate (chronotropy) and cardiac contractility (inotropy) in those with anginal chest pain, acute myocardial infarctions, supraventricular tachycardias, and even off-label for...

Nitroglycerin (NTG) is short-acting venodilator (vasodilator at higher doses) which, like all nitrates, is converted to nitric oxide to exert its effects. In medicine, NTG is routinely used to improve the mismatch between cardiac...

Mannitol is a carbohydrate often administered as a hypertonic solution that is freely filtered by the renal glomerulus and not reabsorbed. Therefore, it serves as an osmotic diuretic that, if left unchecked, can lead...

Throughout my training, I've placed countless pulmonary artery ("Swan-Ganz") catheters for cardiothoracic surgeries and in the ICU to help guide the diagnosis and response to therapy in mixed or undifferentiated shock. These PA catheters...

Epoprostenol (Veletri or Flolan) is an inhaled or intravenous prostanoid vasodilator which is most often used as a therapeutic option for pulmonary arterial hypertension (pHTN). When given intravenously, it dilates both the systemic and...

Hydralazine (Apresoline) is an intravenous and oral antihypertensive that promotes the direct relaxation of arterioles through an unclear mechanism potentially involving calcium flux within the vascular smooth muscle. By acting primarily as a vasodilator...