Hemodynamic effects of amrinone in children during cardiopulmonary bypass and postoperative 12 hours]

Hemodynamic effects of amrinone in children during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and postoperative 12 hours were studied. In 10 patients undergoing open heart surgery, 1 mg/kg of amrinone was infused as the initial CPB dose and 5 - 10 micrograms/kg/min of amrinone was continuously administered as the maintenance dose during CPB and postoperative 12 hours. Amrinone levels ranged from 0.9 to 1.4 micrograms/ml during CPB and postoperative 12 hours. After infusion of amrinone, mean arterial blood pressure decreased significantly, but other parameters did not show remarkable change. The administration of amrinone during CPB showed enough vasodilating effect and decreased the need of conventionally used other vasodilators (nitroglycerin or prostaglandin E1). The postoperative course of 10 patients was clinically uneventful. The administration of amrinone in 10 patients did not produce thrombocytopenia compared with the control group (5 patients) in the postoperative period. In conclusion, the administration of amrinone during CPB and postoperative 12 hours in children was useful in producing enough vasodilating effect without major side effect.