Vasopressors are compounds that constrict blood vessels, raising blood pressure. They are used in medicine to manage patients in shock, deal with drops in blood pressure, and manage patients in the operating room. Anesthesiologists must be skilled in administering these drugs. Outside of medicine, caffeine and adrenaline act as vasopressors.
Vasopressors are compounds that cause blood vessels to constrict, which, in turn, causes blood pressure to rise. A number of compounds can have this effect, from pharmaceuticals used on patients in certain situations to recreational drugs that have a vasoconstrictive effect. Such compounds must be used with care, because they can raise blood pressure dangerously, putting someone at risk for medical complications.
In the world of medicine, vasopressors can be tremendously beneficial. These compounds are used to manage patients in shock, to deal with dangerous drops in blood pressure, and to manage patients in the operating room. In the operating room, they are typically administered by the anesthetist, as this member of the surgical team is responsible for keeping the patient as stable as possible. Anesthesiologists receive highly specialized training in the types of medications they can administer to patients and the situations in which the need for those medications might arise.
Vasopressors can also be used with compounds known as inotropics. Inotropes are compounds that affect muscle contraction, some cause muscles to contract, while others force muscles to relax. In medicine, those that stimulate the contraction of the heart muscle are used to increase the strength of heart contractions so that a patient’s blood pressure rises. Blood pressure management can be especially important in the operating room, as the surgeon does not want the patient to die during the procedure as the body struggles to cope with the tremendous physical toll of the surgery.
These drugs must be administered with caution. In a hospital setting, dosages are carefully calculated for a given patient, taking into account the specific drug being used. The doctor thinks about how long the drug acts on the body, the recommended dosages and the desired effect. Anesthesiologists must be very skilled in mathematics and thinking on the fly so that they can be prepared to intervene in any number of emergencies that may arise while a patient is under general anesthesia on the operating table.
Outside of medicine, a wide variety of things act as vasopressors. For example, caffeine is known to be a vasoconstrictor. The body does its thing too, in the form of things like adrenaline. These compounds in the body act on the autonomic nervous system, just like compounds that are introduced into the body, and many play a role in the “fight or flight” response to stress.
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