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Avasoactive substance is anendogenous agent orpharmaceutical drug that has the effect of either increasing or decreasingblood pressure and/orheart rate through itsvasoactivity, that is, vascular activity (effect onblood vessels). By adjustingvascular compliance andvascular resistance, typically throughvasodilation andvasoconstriction, it helps the body'shomeostatic mechanisms (such as therenin–angiotensin system) to keephemodynamics under control. For example,angiotensin,bradykinin,histamine,nitric oxide, andvasoactive intestinal peptide are important endogenous vasoactive substances. Vasoactive drug therapy is typically used when a patient has the blood pressure and heart ratemonitored constantly. Thedosage is typically titrated (adjusted up or down) to achieve a desired effect orrange of values as determined by competent clinicians.
Vasoactive drugs are typically administered using a volumetric infusion device (IV pump). This category ofdrugs require close observation of the patient with near immediate intervention required by theclinicians in charge of the patient's care. Important vasoactive substances areangiotensin-11,endothelin-1, and alpha-adrenergic agonists.
Various vasoactive agents, such asprostanoids,phosphodiesterase inhibitors, and endothelin antagonists, are approved for the treatment ofpulmonary arterial hypertension. The use of vasoactive agents for patients with pulmonary hypertension may cause harm and unnecessary expense to persons withleft heart disease orhypoxemic types oflung diseases.[1]
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