Effects of amrinone and dopamine on uterine blood flow and vascular responses in the gravid baboon

Abstract

Amrinone is a bipyridine derivative with positive inotropic and vasodilator properties. We investigated its effects on uterine and iliac artery blood flow, blood pressure, and heart rate in 10 acutely instrumented gravid baboons. Amrinone was compared with dopamine, infused systemically or regionally via the common iliac artery. When given intravenously at a constant rate of 40 μg/kg/min, amrinone produced a slight increase in iliac artery blood flow but did not significantly alter mean arterial pressure, heart rate, or uterine artery blood flow. Dopamine at an intravenous dose of 40 μg/kg/min produced a mean (±SD) 49.2% ± 18.7% increase in mean arterial pressure (p < 0.01) and a 84.2% ± 56.1% increase in uterine vascular resistance (p < 0.01), but caused no changes in heart rate, uterine artery blood flow, or iliac artery blood flow. Regional infusion of amrinone at the rate of 25 μg/kg/min produced a significant increase in iliac artery blood flow (p < 0.01) without changing uterine artery blood flow, heart rate, or mean arterial pressure. Regional infusion of dopamine at concentrations of 2.5 to 25 μg/kg/min produced decreases in flow (p < 0.01) and increases in resistance (p < 0.01) in the uterine and iliac vascular beds. We conclude that amrinone dilates the vascular bed of the external iliac artery, but has no remarkable effect on the uterine vascular bed. Dopamine increases uterine vascular resistance and may impair uteroplacental perfusion.