Ace the ECCO Cardiovascular Disorders Quiz 2025 – Pump Up Your Knowledge and Heart Your Success!

Milrinone is recognized as a potent inotrope that not only enhances myocardial contractility but also has the ability to reduce afterload. This dual action is particularly important in the management of heart failure, as the increased contractility assists the heart in pumping more effectively while the reduction in afterload makes it easier for the heart to eject blood.

In terms of its mechanism, milrinone functions as a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, which results in increased levels of cyclic AMP within cardiac muscle cells, ultimately leading to stronger and more effective heart contractions. Additionally, milrinone causes vasodilation, which contributes to decreased vascular resistance and thus lowers afterload. This combination of effects is beneficial in treating patients with reduced cardiac function.

Other medications listed have different primary actions; for instance, dopamine primarily acts as a positive inotrope but has variable effects on vascular resistance depending on the dose, making it less consistent in reducing afterload. Phenylephrine primarily acts as a vasopressor and increases afterload instead of decreasing it. Nitroprusside is a potent vasodilator that can reduce afterload, but it does not have inotropic effects to enhance myocardial contractility in the same way that milrinone does. Thus, milrinone