L-Arterenol (Levophed®) in the Treatment of Shock Due to Acute Myocardial Infarction

THE OCCURRENCE of severe shock following myocardial infarction has generally been considered of such grave prognostic import as almost to negate the possibility of effective therapy. It remains true that shock is a grave prognostic indication, but it is encouraging to find more investigators directing their attention to a reasonable therapeutic approach. Inasmuch as the degree of shock is not necessarily in direct proportion to the size of the infarct, it is not unlikely that the resolution of the shock state could lead to recovery in a proportion of the patients who now succumb. Rosenbaum and Levine1reported a 51% mortality rate for cases of infarction complicated by moderate shock and a 93% mortality for those with severe shock. They considered the prognosis grave if the blood pressure remained at 80 mm. Hg or less for any length of time. Katz and Mintz2found that a systolic blood