Automated Cardiovascular Drug Infusion System to Control Hemodynamics

Abstract

In the management of patients with unstable hemodynamics as seen in myocardial infarction or after cardiac surgical procedures, cardiovascular drugs such as inotropes and/or vasodilators are commonly infused to control systemic arterial pressure and/or cardiac output. Since responses to these agents vary between patients and within patient over time, strict monitoring of patient condition and frequent adjustments of drug infusion rates are usually required. This is a difficult and time-consuming process. Closed-loop systems to automate drug infusion have been developed to facilitate this process. In the clinical setting, although closed-loop control of hemodynamics has been suggested to be useful and improve patient outcomes, this approach has not yet been widely adopted. In this review, we introduce several closed-loop systems that have been developed so far and our novel approach to control overall hemodynamics, address issues in their clinical application, and discuss future perspectives in this field.