• CELLMED
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.21.1-21.8
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• 2012

Heart disease that ultimately leads to heart failure (HF) has been the number one cause of death in the United States as well as in many other countries for over a century. Inotropic therapy utilizing cardiotonics to increase cardiac contractility remains a significant component of the management of HF. However, adverse effects of currently available cardiotonics have been compromising their therapeutic value and often lead to further myocardial dysfunction. Thus, discovery of safe cardiotonics remains a main challenge to improvement of inotropic therapy for HF. This review briefly summarized cellular mechanisms underlying the inotropic action of currently available cardiotonics, newly-developed carditonics and the bark of Terminalia arjuna (TA), a tropical tree used in ayurvedic medicine. The potential of TA bark as a new cardiotonic in inotropic treatment for HF was also discussed.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.224-227
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• 1993

We experienced one case of orthotopic cardiac transplantation in a patient with end stage dilated cardiomyopathy. This 50 year-old female recipient was suffered from NYHA functional class IV cardiac failure and dependent upon intravenous inotropic support for 2 months [recipient category 1]. Her preoperative condition was grave with left ventricular ejection fraction of 20% and estimated systolic pulmonary arterial pressure [from Doppler study] was 50mmHg. The brain-dead donor was 31 year-old male with head trauma. The body sizes [weight, height] of the donor/recipient were 70 Kg, 165 cm / 43 Kg, 160 cm and appropriately overmatched. Preoperatively, identical ABO/Rh blood group [A+] and nonreacting HLA crossmatching were confirmed. On November 11 1992 cardiac transplantation was performed without complication. Multiple organ procurement team and heart transplantation team were organized the operation schedule appropriately to minimize the ischemic time. The pump time was 126 minutes and aortic crossclamping time of recipient heart was 73 minutes and, as a result, total ischemic time of the transplanted heart was 75 minutes. Postoperatively, the vital signs were stable with minimal inotropic support. The immunosuppressive therapy was commenced from preoperatively and cyclosporine, azathioprine, and corticosteroid were used as a combination therapy as scheduled and monitored with blood drug concentration, WBC count, renal function and most importantly regular endomyocardial biopsy.Now, 5 months after transplantation, the patient is in NYHA functional class II with minimal cardiac drug support.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.504-510
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• 2004

Background: Vasodilatory shock after cardiac surgery may result from the vasopressin deficiency following cardio-pulmonary bypass and sepsis, which did not respond to usual intravenous inotropes. In contrast to the adult patients, the effectiveness of vasopressin for vasodilatory shock in children has not been known well and so we reviewed our experience of vasopressin therapy in the small babies with a cardiac disease. Material and Method: Between February and August 2003, intravenous vasopressin was administrated in 6 patients for vasodilatory shock despite being supported on intravenous inotropes after cardiac surgery. Median age at operation was 25 days old (ranges; 2∼41 days) and median body weight was 2,870 grams (ranges; 900∼3,530 grams). Preoperative diag-noses were complete transposition of the great arteries in 2 patients, hypoplastic left heart syndrome in 1, Fallot type double-outlet right ventricle in 1, aortic coarctation with severe atrioventricular valve regurgitation in 1, and total anomalous pulmonary venous return in 1. Total repair and palliative repair were undertaken in each 3 patient. Result: Most patients showed vasodilatory shock not responding to the inotropes and required the vasopressin therapy within 24 hours after cardiac surgery and its readministration for septic shock. The dosing range for vasopressin was 0.0002∼0.008 unit/kg/minute with a median total time of its administration of 59 hours (ranges; 26∼140 hours). Systolic blood pressure before, 1 hour, and 6 hours after its administration were 42.7$\pm$7.4 mmHg, 53.7$\pm$11.4 mmHg, and 56.3$\pm$13.4 mmHg, respectively, which shows a significant increase in systolic blood pressure (systolic pressure 1hour and 6 hours after the administration compared to before the administration; p=0.042 in all). Inotropic indexes before, 6 hour, and 12 hours after its administration were 32.3$\pm$7.2, 21.0$\pm$8.4, and 21.2$\pm$8.9, respectively, which reveals a significant decrease in inotropic index (inotropic indexes 6 hour and 12 hours after the administration compared to before the administration; p=0.027 in all). Significant metabolic acidosis and decreased urine output related to systemic hypoperfusion were not found after vasopressin admin- istration. Conclusion: In young children suffering from vasodilatory shock not responding to common inotropes despite normal ventricular contractility, intravenous vasopressin reveals to be an effective vasoconstrictor to increase systolic blood pressure and to mitigate the complications related to higher doses of inotropes.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.76 no.3
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• pp.127-130
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• 2014

The risk of dying from a pulmonary embolism (PE) is estimated to be about 30% if inotropic support is required and no cardiopulmonary arrest occurs. Fibrinolysis in massive PE is regarded as a life-saving intervention, unless there is a high risk of bleeding following the use of the fibrinolytic therapy. Rivaroxaban is an oral factor Xa inhibitor, however its anticoagulation effects before or after administration of fibrinolytics in massive PE are still unknown. Two patents were admitted: 61-year-old woman with repeated syncope, and a 73-year-old woman was admitted with dyspnea and poor oral intake. Systemic arterial hypotension with radiologic confirmation led to a diagnosis of massive PE in both patients. Rivaroxaban was administered before in one, and after firbrinolytic therapy in the other. One showed similar efficacy of rivaroxaban with currently used anticoagulants after successful fibrinolysis, and the other one without antecedent administration of the fibrinolytic agent showed unfavorable efficacy of rivaroxaban.

• Clinical and Experimental Emergency Medicine
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.175-180
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• 2016

Objective Combination of ${\beta}_1-adrenergic$ receptor (AR) blockade and ${\beta}_2-AR$ activation might be a potential novel therapy for treating heart failure. However, use of ${\beta}-AR$ agonists and/or antagonists in the clinical setting is controversial because of the lack of information on cardiac inotropic or chronotropic regulation by AR signaling. Methods In this study, we performed hemodynamic evaluation by examining force frequency response (FFR), Frank-Starling relationship, and response to a non-selective ${\beta}-AR$ agonist (isoproterenol) in hearts isolated from 6-month-old transgenic (TG) mice overexpressing ${\beta}_1-$ and ${\beta}_2-ARs$ (${\beta}_1-$ and ${\beta}_2-AR$ TG mice, respectively). Results Cardiac physiologic consequences of ${\beta}_1-$ and ${\beta}_2-AR$ overexpression resulted in similar maximal response to isoproterenol and faster temporary decline of positive inotropic response in ${\beta}_2-AR$ TG mice. ${\beta}_1-AR$ TG mice showed a pronounced negative limb of FFR, whereas ${\beta}_2-AR$ TG mice showed high stimulation frequencies with low contractile depression during FFR. In contrast, Frank-Starling relationship was equally enhanced in both ${\beta}_1-$ and ${\beta}_2-AR$ TG mice. Conclusion Hemodynamic evaluation performed in the present showed a difference in ${\beta}_1-$ and ${\beta}_2-AR$ signaling, which may be due to the difference in the desensitization of ${\beta}_1-$ and ${\beta}_2-ARs$.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.89-93
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• 2005

Penetrating chest trauma by stab injury may result in massive hemothorax from damage to single or multiple intrathoracic organs such as heart, aorta, internal mammary artery, intercostal artery or pulmonary parenchyme. Prognosis of massive hemothorax necessitating emergency thoracotomy is fatal especially so if there exists concomitant underlying compromise of cardiopulmonary function. A 56 year old man with destroyed left lung due to old pulmonary tuberculosis was stabbed in right parasternal lesion through third intercostal space. Intubation with cardiopulmonary resuscitation and closed thoracostomy were performed to resuscitate from cardiac asystole from hemorrhagic shock and acute respiratory distress. Midsternotomy was made to expose active bleeding foci in right mammary artery, subclavian vein, intercostal artery and anterior segment of right upper lung showing severe bullous change and pleural adhesion. Postoperative care included ventilator support, inotropic instillation and cautious, balance fluid therapy ; successful extubation was done on third postoperative day and patient was discharged on tenth postoperative day without any complication.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.109-113
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• 2018

Background: Low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS) after cardiac surgery usually requires inotropes. In this setting, critical illness-related corticosteroid insufficiency (CIRCI) may develop. We aimed to investigate the clinical features of CIRCI in the presence of LCOS and to assess the efficacy of steroid treatment. Methods: We reviewed 28 patients who underwent a rapid adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) test due to the suspicion of CIRCI between February 2010 and September 2014. CIRCI was diagnosed by a change in serum cortisol of <$9{\mu}g/dL$ after the ACTH test or a random cortisol level of <$10{\mu}g/dL$. Results: Twenty of the 28 patients met the diagnostic criteria. The patients with CIRCI showed higher Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores than those without CIRCI ($16.1{\pm}2.3$ vs. $11.4{\pm}3.5$, p=0.001). Six of the patients with CIRCI (30%) received glucocorticoids. With an average elevation of the mean blood pressure by $22.2{\pm}8.7mm\;Hg$ after steroid therapy, the duration of inotropic support was shorter in the steroid group than in the non-steroid group ($14.1{\pm}2.3days$ versus $30{\pm}22.8days$, p=0.001). Three infections (15%) developed in the non-steroid group, but this was not a significant between-group difference. Conclusion: CIRCI should be suspected in patients with LCOS after cardiac surgery, especially in patients with a high SOFA score. Glucocorticoid replacement therapy may be considered to reduce the use of inotropes without posing an additional risk of infection.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.7-17
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze end-of-life care practices in lung disease patients with physician orders for life-sustaining treatment (POLSTs). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from medical records regarding the end-of-life care practices of POLST decisions for patients with lung disease hospitalized at a tertiary hospital in Seoul, South Korea. Data were collected from January 1 to June 30, 2021. Results: Of 300 total patients, 198 had lung cancer (66.0%) and 102 had non-malignant lung diseases (34.0%). A POLST was written for 187 patients (62.3%), and an advance directive was written for 20 patients (6.7%). Subsequent treatments were hemodialysis in 13 patients (4.3%), surgery in 3 patients (1.0%), and cardiopulmonary cerebral resuscitation in 1 patient (0.3%). Among cancer patients, chemotherapy was performed in 11 patients (3.7%), targeted therapy in 11 patients (3.7%), immunotherapy in 6 patients (2.0%), and radiation therapy in 13 patients (4.3%). Depending on the type of lung disease, types of treatment differed, including hemodialysis, ventilators, bilevel positive airway pressure, high-flow nasal cannulas, nebulizers, enteral nutrition, central line, inotropic agents, and opioids. Conclusion: Although the goals of hospice care are the same whether a patient has lung cancer or a non-malignant lung disease, because the characteristics of the respective diseases differ, end-of-life care practices and hospice approaches must be considered differently.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.64 no.2
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• pp.68-75
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• 2021

The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has been spreading worldwide since December 2019. Hundreds of cases of children and adolescents with Kawasaki disease (KD)-like hyperinflammatory illness have been reported in Europe and the United States during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic with or without shock and cardiac dysfunction. These patients tested positive for the polymerase chain reaction or antibody test for SARS-CoV-2 or had a history of recent exposure to COVID-19. Clinicians managing such patients coined new terms for this new illness, such as COVID-19-associated hyperinflammatory response syndrome, pediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome temporally associated with COVID-19, or COVID-19-associated multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C). The pathogenesis of MIS-C is unclear; however, it appears similar to that of cytokine storm syndrome. MIS-C shows clinical features similar to KD, but differences between them exist with respect to age, sex, and racial distributions and proportions of patients with shock or cardiac dysfunction. Recommended treatments for MIS-C include intravenous immunoglobulin, corticosteroids, and inotropic or vasopressor support. For refractory patients, monoclonal antibody to interleukin-6 receptor (tocilizumab), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (anakinra), or monoclonal antibody to tumor necrosis factor (infliximab) may be recommended. Patients with coronary aneurysms require aspirin or anticoagulant therapy. The prognosis of MIS-C seemed favorable without sequelae in most patients despite a reported mortality rate of approximately 1.5%.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.329-339
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency, patterns, and factors of reversals in decisions about life-sustaining treatment (LST) among older patients with terminal-stage chronic cardiopulmonary disease. Methods: This was a retrospective correlational descriptive study based on medical chart review. De-identified patient electronic medical record data were collected from 124 deceased older patients with terminal-stage cardiopulmonary disease who had made reversals of LST decisions in an academic tertiary hospital in 2015. Data were extracted about the reversed LST decisions, LST treatments applied before death, and patients' demographic and clinical factors. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the factors associated with the reversal to higher intensity of LST treatment. Results: The use of inotropic agents was the most frequently reversed LST treatment, followed by cardiopulmonary resuscitation, intubation, ventilator therapy, and hemodialysis. Inconsistency between the last LST decisions and actual treatments occurred most often in hemodialysis. One-third of the reversals in LST decisions were made toward higher intensity of LST treatment. Patients who had lung diseases (vs. heart diseases); were single, divorced, or bereaved (vs. married); and had an acquaintance as a primary decision maker (vs. the patients themselves) were significantly more likely to reverse the LST decisions to higher intensity of LST treatment. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the complex and turmoil situation of the LST decision-making process among older patients with terminal-stage cardiopulmonary disease and suggests the importance of support for patients and families in their LST decision-making process.