Arterenol Therapy for Shock After Acute Myocardial Infarction and Pulmonary Embolization

A study was made of the records of 55 patients who had severe shock after myocardial infarction and who were treated with either arterenol or metaraminol bitartrate. A distinct pressor effect was obtained in 42, shock was relieved in 38, and seven-day survival followed in 22. A similar study was made of 11 patients with shock after pulmonary embolism who received the same treatment. A distinct pressor effect was obtained in seven, shock was relieved in five, and seven-day survival followed in three. It is recommended that treatment with arterenol be started promptly after the recognition of shock in either type of patient. The simultaneous use of digitalis products in patients with coexistent congestive heart failure was not found harmful. To prevent local tissue injury, which caused sloughing in three cases, the bottle containing arterenol should be attached to the venoclysis apparatus only after a free flow has been established with a 5% solution of dextrose in water.