The role of vasopressin in treating systemic inflammatory syndrome complicated by right ventricular failure.

Severe right ventricular failure complicated a postoperative systemic inflammatory response in a 33-year-old woman after surgical repair of congenital cardiac malformations. Volume loading, and high doses of catecholamines, failed to produce improvement, but treatment with vasopressin improved all haemodynamic parameters, and also allowed reduction of the other inotropes. After 10 days, the patient was discharged in stable condition from the intensive care unit.