Course Summary

Expiration Date: 06/29/2028

Inotropes and vasopressors are essential pharmacologic agents in the management of shock, a life-threatening state characterized by inadequate tissue perfusion. These agents act through distinct mechanisms to restore hemodynamic stability by either enhancing cardiac contractility or increasing vascular tone. This course reviews the pharmacology, clinical applications, adverse effects, monitoring, and guideline-directed recommendations for using inotropes and vasopressors in various types of shock. The course aims to equip healthcare professionals with evidence-based strategies for selecting and titrating these agents appropriately in acute and critical care settings.

Course Format

Homestudy

Course Syllabus

  • Introduction
  • Pharmacological Overview
  • Inotrope and Vasopressor Selection Across Shock Syndromes
    • Septic Shock
    • Cardiogenic Shock
    • Hypovolemic Shock
    • Neurogenic Shock
    • Anaphylactic Shock
    • Summary of Therapeutic Positioning
  • Monitoring and Administration
  • Adverse Effects and Complications
    • Special Considerations
    • Case Presentation
  • Summary

Authors

Richard Daniels, PharmD, BCPS

Richard “Cole” Daniels earned his Doctor of Pharmacy(PharmD) from the Skaggs School of Pharmacy at the University of Montana in 2018. Throughout pharmacy school he completed a 3-year internship at Community Medical Center in Missoula, Montana in which he gained valuable experience in an acute care setting. Cole currently serves as a psychiatric clinical staff pharmacist at the Montana State Hospital. He has over 11 years of pharmacy experience having worked in several settings including retail, acute care, and inpatient psychiatric care. Cole has a diverse set of interests. However, acute care medicine, infectious disease, pain management, and asthma/COPD are a primary focus of his at the Montana State Hospital. He obtained board certification as a certified pharmacotherapy specialist in the Spring of 2022.

Elisabeth Gordon, BScPharm, RPh

Elisabeth Gordon earned her BSc(Pharm) from the University of British Columbia in 2004. After graduation, she worked in community retail pharmacies on Vancouver Island, before returning to her rural hometown of Salmon Arm. In 2016 and 2017, Elisabeth trained with Pallium Canada and Victoria Hospice to enhance her knowledge of end-of-life-care and palliative services. She is a volunteer medical supervisor for T1DOutreach, a peer support platform for adults living with type 1 diabetes, and a member of a Canadian peer support group for adults living with Birdshot Uveitis. Elisabeth enjoys working in a small, fast-paced rural pharmacy where she brings compassion and empathy to her everyday practice.