Vasopressin as a pressor adjunct in various forms of severe hypotensive shock

Background and study purpose: Recent clinical investigations have demonstrated that vasopressin (VPA) may be a valuable alternative or adjunct to common pressor agents in various forms of shock. Although, typically septic shock is characterized by VPA deficiency and pressor hypersensitivity to the exogenous hormone, VPA has also been successfully employed in other shock forms that are usually not characterised by VPA deficiency (1–4). Patients and methods: Patient 1 was a one-year old boy with Waterhouse-Friderichsen-syndrome. He was admitted to the hospital in septic shock. Mean arterial blood pressure could on…