Norepinephrine recommended for treating shockRSS Feed

Patients that have suffered traumatic brain injury and are in shock should be treated with norepinephrine to stabilise blood pressure, new research claims.

The chemical should be used in place of dopamine, which scientists at the Emory University School of Medicine found caused a higher rate of heart arrhythmias, which were almost twice as common.

Findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, run contrary to the widely held belief in the medical community that norepinephrine is more dangerous.

Although researchers found no difference in the relation between the use of the drugs and mortality rate over the 28-day study period, patients with cardiogenic shock treated with dopamine were more likely to die.

Commenting on the findings, lead study author Jerrold Levy explained: "Dopamine has been commonly used as a first-line therapy for shock at many hospitals for years, partially because of the widespread perception that norepinephrine is associated with adverse events."

He added the research shows that any shock carries a high risk of death, but that there are particular concerns about the use of dopamine.

Shock, or dangerously low blood pressure, can cause heart failure, haemorrhage and anaphylaxis, as well as severe inflammation resulting in a bacterial infection known as sepsis.

Recent research published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine indicated that inducing the release of nitric oxide could help to treat septic shock.

News brought to you by Serious Law specialists in traumatic brain injury

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