New pharmacological treatment approaches to cardiogenic shock

Cardiogenic shock after acute myocardial infarction continues to exhibit a high mortality rate. The prognosis can be improved with acute revascularization. Use of the intra-aortic balloon pump is also an established treatment concept. Administration of catecholamines should be limited as far as possible; monitoring hemodynamic parameters based on cardiac power output or cardiac power index can be very helpful. New treatment approaches such as the calcium sensitizer levosimendan, NO synthase inhibition, complement inhibition, or vasopressin therapy have not yet yielded convincing results. Future therapies will likely address the anti-inflammatory aspect of cardiogenic shock.