Wednesday, April 06, 2011

Milrinone

A web search for Milrinone was not all that helpful. Oh, yes I found it, even the official FDA website; it was the technical nature of what it is that was not helpful. A phosphodiesterase 3 inhibitor, positive inotropic, vasodilating and minimum chronotropic???? If they say so. I can figure out what an inhibitor does and guess at vasodilating, especially since the medication is being given to a Facebook friend who has an enlarged heart and waiting upon a heart transplant. The rest is gobbledygook to me.


I went to Wikipedia thinking I would find a simplified definition of the medication. Looked like a Wiki editor copied it straight from the other sites. At Wikipedia I clicked on phosphdiesterase 3 inhibitor which contained a word  catecholamines, so I clicked on that. Oh my, those are fight or flight hormones. Did not know they are released by the adrenal gland. A lot more technical stuff and I think you would have to be a rocket scientist to understand the illustrations, okay maybe not a rocket scientist, but some type of science or math expert...


I make this assumption: everyone knows about fight or flight reactions, a natural reaction to perceived danger. The release of these catecholamines is increases in blood pressure, heart beat and blood glucose. The body is given a quick shot of adrenaline in preparation for the fight. Or the flight. 


If you read my post titled BOO!!! that was my body's reaction to the sudden, unexpected shouted word. I have had the same reaction to a loud sneeze while sitting at Burger King patio table. A sneeze no one else seemed to notice. Wikipedia says the release of the catecholamines is "due to stress". 





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