Comparison of Equipressor Doses of Norepinephrine, Epinephrine, and Phenylephrine on Septic Myocardial Dysfunction

Phenylephrine, a drug without β-1 effects, was associated with decreased ventricular performance and ventriculoarterial uncoupling, whereas epinephrine and norepinephrine improved global hemodynamics and myocardial function in severely hypokinetic and hypotensive experimental septic shock. Nevertheless, epinephrine was associated with increased myocardial oxygen consumption. Thus, norepinephrine appears to be a more reliable and safer strategy as a first-line therapy in this particular setting.