Ep.8 - Inotropes and Vasopressors: A, B, and V

Resus Tonight - Critical Care and Emergency Nursing

Alpha, beta, V1 and V2 receptor goodness is talked about in this episode. This episode also features Allan turning into The Rock.

• Inotropy means increased myocardial contractility
• Chronotropy means increased heart rate
• Vasopressor means squeezing of the blood vessels
• Scott Weingart (reference below) coins a term Inopressor, where some drugs cause all of the above – one such example is epinephrine
• Alpha 1 receptors are found in the periphery and are responsible for vasoconstriction
• Alpha 2 receptors are in the periphery and are responsible for vasodilation
• Beta 1 receptors are primarily in the myocardium and cause ino and chronotropy
• Beta 2 receptors are in the lungs and result in bronchodilation
• V1 receptors are in the blood vessels
• V2 receptors are in the kidneys