Survey of the use of catecholamines by French physicians.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

The objective of the study was to perform a descriptive approach of the current use of catecholamines by French physicians.

DESIGN:

A questionnaire of 12 questions with 4 items established by a group of French intensivists.

POPULATION:

French physicians from 433 departments working in the following practicing areas: intensive care unit (ICU), emergency department, and pre-hospital setting.

MEASUREMENTS:

Responding physicians were asked about the catecholamine that they would select in various clinical settings.

RESULTS:

The response rate was 82%. Of the responding physicians, 277 (78%) worked in an ICU, 28 (8%) in an emergency department, and 21 (6%) in a pre-hospital setting. Dobutamine was chosen for patients with cardiogenic shock by 90% of the respondents. Norepinephrine was the first choice agent as vasopressor in patients with septic shock in 52% of the cases. Dopamine was selected in a clinical setting requiring an optimization of regional blood flow, as in the concept of high-risk surgical patients. Dopexamine was used as a second or third choice agent to improve regional blood flow and cardiac output. The indications of epinephrine for anaphylactic shock and cardio-circulatory arrest were obvious for more than 90% of responding physicians.

CONCLUSION:

A lack of standardization appears in the use of catecholamines by French physicians, particularly for improvement of regional circulation and management of high-risk surgical patients. Guidelines that define the place of each catecholamine in these settings are required to improve the quality of prescription.

• Authors: Marc Leone, Benoit Vallet, Jean-Louis Teboul, Joachim Mateo, Olivier Bastien, Claude Martin
• Journal: Intensive care medicine (Intensive Care Med) Vol. 30 Issue 5 Pg. 984-8 (May 2004) ISSN: 0342-4642 [Print] United States
• PMID: 14997293 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Catecholamines

Topics

• Catecholamines (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• France
• Humans
• Practice Patterns, Physicians'
• Shock, Cardiogenic (drug therapy)
• Surveys and Questionnaires