Hemodynamic Impact of Cardiovascular Antihypertensive Medications in Patients With Sepsis-Related Acute Circulatory Failure.

BACKGROUND

Impact of prior cardiovascular antihypertensive medication during the initial phase of septic shock in terms of catecholamine requirements and mortality has been poorly investigated and remains unclear.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the association between chronic prescription of cardiovascular antihypertensive medication prior to intensive care unit (ICU) admission, catecholamine requirement, and mortality in patients with septic shock.

METHODS

We included all consecutive patients diagnosed with septic shock within the first 24 h of ICU admission, defined as a microbiologically proven or clinically suspected infection, associated with acute circulatory failure requiring vasopressors despite adequate fluid filling. Prior cardiovascular antihypertensive medication was defined as the chronic use of betablockers (BB), calcium channel blockers (CCB), angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi)/angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB). ICU mortality was investigated using multivariate competitive risk analysis.

RESULTS

Among 735 patients admitted for septic shock between 2008 and 2016, 46.9% received prior cardiovascular antihypertensive medication. Prior cardiovascular antihypertensive therapy was not associated with increased norepinephrine requirements during the first 24 h (median = 0.28 μg/kg/min in patients previously treated vs. 0.26 μg/kg/min). Prior cardiovascular antihypertensive medication was not associated with a higher risk of ICU mortality after adjustment (cause-specific hazard = 1.28, 95% confidence interval [0.98-1.66], P = 0.06). Subgroups analyses for BB, CCB, and ACEi/ARB using propensity score analyses retrieved similar results.

CONCLUSION

In patients admitted with septic shock, prior cardiovascular antihypertensive medication seems to have limited impact on initial hemodynamic failure and catecholamine requirement.