Title: Vasopressors in trauma? Maybe?<br/>Author: Robert Flint<br/><a href='http://umem.org/profiles/faculty/2561/'>[Click to email author]</a><hr/><p>
<span style="font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">This extensive review looks at the literature surrounding vasopressors in trauma. Take away points are:</span></span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">1. Most of the studies were done when the use of crystalloid was still being used as initial resuscitation fluid instead of blood.</span></span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">2. Use of whole blood and mass hemorrhage protocols are not reflected in the literature regarding vasopressor use.</span></span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">3. There are physiologic reasons vasopressors could be useful, particularly in head injured patients where we want increased mean arterial pressures.</span></span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">4. European guidelines include vasopressor use whereas American ones do not.</span></span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">5. Vasopressin and norepinephrine appear to be the vasopressors of choice if using a vasopressor in a trauma patient.</span></span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">6. We need better studies looking at this topic</span></span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">7. We need better studies looking at permissive hypotension in trauma now that our resuscitative strategy emphasizes mass hemorrhage protocol of blood, blood products, TXA and hemorrhage control.</span></span></p>
<p>
<span style="font-size:16px;"><span style="font-family:tahoma,geneva,sans-serif;">8. As with all things in medicine, never say never.</span></span></p>
<fieldset><legend>References</legend>
<p>
Richards, Justin E. MD*; Harris, Tim MD†,‡; Dünser, Martin W. MD§; Bouzat, Pierre MD, PhD?; Gauss, Tobias MD¶. Vasopressors in Trauma: A Never Event?. Anesthesia & Analgesia 133(1):p 68-79, July 2021. | DOI: 10.1213/ANE.0000000000005552</p>
</fieldset>