Acute positive inotropic intervention: The phosphodiesterase inhibitors

Patients with acute heart failure resulting from systolic dysfunction (after myocardial infarction, open heart surgery, or infectious or toxic myocarditis), right ventricular systolic dysfunction, or severe heart failure awaiting cardiac transplantation

Intravenous phosphodiesterase inhibitors (amrinone, milrinone)

Hemodynamic improvement (increases in stroke volume and cardiac output, reductions in right and left ventricular filling pressures and systemic vascular resistance)surrogate