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Hi, it’s Patrik Hutzel from intensivecarehotline.com with another quick tip for families in intensive care.

So currently, we’re working with a client who has their father in intensive care with inotropic or vasopressor support, such as norepinephrine or noradrenaline, as well as adrenaline or epinephrine. And that inotropic or vasopressor support has been maxed out and that is certainly not a good thing.

So the family’s asking what’s going to happen next. Well, the reality is that, if inotropic or vasopressor support is maxed out, your loved one may be as close to death as they ever would get be. And if vasopressors or inotropic support can’t be reduced. You know, things are looking pretty grim, especially if the inotrope or vasopressor doses are at the maximum level of support.

So, the family’s asking or our client is asking, are there any alternatives? Well, there are some alternatives, depending on the situation. In this situation, the client’s father is septic. So he’s in septic shock, has an infection through a necrosis. And you know, the alternative is obviously treating the infection with antibiotics, but also giving some fluids to begin with.

But this particular client is in kidney failure. So dialysis at the moment is not an option because blood pressure is too low to start dialysis at such high levels of inotropes or vasopressors.

So unfortunately there is no alternative treatment available despite cranking up the vasopressors and inotropes. And if they reached a certain level, your loved one is unfortunately going to approach their end of life. So, you know, that’s the bad news.

So major forms of life support in intensive care, just to recap is obviously mechanical ventilation. And then next it’s vasopressors and inotropic support. Those are the two major forms of life support in intensive care. And if again, vasopressors or inotropes are maxed out, this could be a real end of life situation.

So that’s my tip for today. If you have a loved one in intensive care and you need help, please give us a call on one of the numbers on the top of the website at intensivecarehotline.com or send me an email to [email protected].

Like this video, comment down below what questions that you have and subscribe. Subscribe to my YouTube channel.

This is Patrik Hutzel from intensivecarehotline.com and I’ll talk to you in a few days.