Case report
https://doi.org/10.22514/SV132.112017.1
Do we need an individual approach to atrial fibrillation and adrenergic overload in the critically ill?
MATEJ PODBREGAR
; Clinical Department for Anaesthesiology and Surgical Intensive Care, University Medical Centre Ljubljana
MATIJA KALIŠNIK JURIJ
Abstract
Despite catecholamines being lifesaving
drugs, they can also be harmful. Adrenergic
overload is one of the major causes of
supra- and ventricular arrhythmias, which
induce haemodynamic instability of critically
ill patients. In this paper we will focus
on the pathophysiology of atrial fibrillation
(AF), the importance of adrenergic overload
for triggering AF, the importance of
the autonomic nervous system and we will
challenge the importance of decreasing
adrenergic load with selective and nonselective
β-blockers, which have different
effects on the metabolism of the severely
ill. We will also emphasize the importance
of an individual approach due to pharmacogenetic
differences in β-adrenergic signalling.
Keywords
catecholamines; atrial fibrillation; beta-blockers; metabolism; resting energy expenditure
Hrčak ID:
190463
URI
Publication date:
12.12.2017.
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