EFFECT OF DOBUTAMINE ON PULMONARY GAS-EXCHANGE IN PATIENTS WITH SEVERE HEART-FAILURE

Twenty patients (two female, 18 male, mean age 57 ± 11 years) with severe heart failure NYHA IV (7 coronary artery disease, 13 congestive cardiomyopathy) were treated with 8.8 ± 1.7 μg . kg-1 of dobutamine. Pulmonary gas exchange was analysed by withdrawal of blood samples from a central venous catheter and a radial artery canula. Dobutamine increased SvO2 from 58.7 ± 11.2% to 72.2 ± 6.3% (P=0.0001) and decreased avDO2 from 7.7 ± 2.45 Vol% to 4.97 ± 1.34 Vol% (P=0.0001). PaO2 and PaCO2 were not changed. Qs/Qt increased slightly from 9.1 ± 8.3% to 11.3 ± 6.4% (P= 0.035). Cardiac index increased by 51% (P=0.0001), pulmonary capillary wedge pressure decreased by 28% (P=0.0001). In patients with severe heart failure, dobutamine improved haemodynamics without detrimental effects on arterial oxygen concentration. © 1992 The European Society of Cardiology.