Nesiritide Compared with Milrinone for Cardiac Surgery

Management of patients with low cardiac output syndromes is difficult. Current therapies (ie, inotropes) have associated adverse effects and have not been shown to impact clinical outcomes such as decreased mortality or length of stay. Patients unable to recover from low cardiac output states have end organ damage, increased lengths of stay, increased hospital costs, and readmissions. Nesiritide has been suggested as an alternative or adjunct medication to treat cardiac surgery patients. Recent trials have provided information on the effects of some of these agents on clinical outcomes including respiratory failure, length of stay, and mortality.