The effects of ritodrine infusion on fetal myocardial function and fetal hemodynamics. 1990

J Räsänen
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Oulu, Finland.

The effects of ritodrine infusion on fetal myocardial function and fetal hemodynamics were studied in 18 singleton, healthy, pregnant women with premature uterine contractions. Ritodrine was given intravenously for 2 1/2 h. In 10 cases both M-mode echocardiographs of the fetal heart and measurements of the blood flow in the fetal descending thoracic aorta were made before and after the infusion. No changes took place in the functional parameters or ventricular size of the fetal heart during the infusion. Fetal heart rate increased significantly. In the aorta both the volumetric flow and time-averaged systolic peak, mean and end-diastolic velocities increased significantly, while there were no changes in wave-form indices. In 8 other cases, blood velocity waveform indices were measured by color Doppler flow mapping from the fetal middle cerebral, renal and umbilical arteries. During the infusion the waveform indices decreased significantly in the middle cerebral and renal arteries. There was no change in the indices of the umbilical artery. Ritodrine did not cause any unfavorable changes in the fetal myocardial function or blood flow in the aorta and umbilical artery. The decreased waveform indices in fetal middle cerebral and renal arteries might indicate decreased vascular resistance in these vessels.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D011247 Pregnancy The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH. Gestation,Pregnancies
D012077 Renal Artery A branch of the abdominal aorta which supplies the kidneys, adrenal glands and ureters. Arteries, Renal,Artery, Renal,Renal Arteries
D001783 Blood Flow Velocity A value equal to the total volume flow divided by the cross-sectional area of the vascular bed. Blood Flow Velocities,Flow Velocities, Blood,Flow Velocity, Blood,Velocities, Blood Flow,Velocity, Blood Flow
D001794 Blood Pressure PRESSURE of the BLOOD on the ARTERIES and other BLOOD VESSELS. Systolic Pressure,Diastolic Pressure,Pulse Pressure,Pressure, Blood,Pressure, Diastolic,Pressure, Pulse,Pressure, Systolic,Pressures, Systolic
D002536 Cerebral Arteries The arterial blood vessels supplying the CEREBRUM. Arteries, Cerebral,Artery, Cerebral,Cerebral Artery
D005260 Female Females
D005318 Fetal Heart The heart of the fetus of any viviparous animal. It refers to the heart in the postembryonic period and is differentiated from the embryonic heart (HEART/embryology) only on the basis of time. Fetal Hearts,Heart, Fetal,Hearts, Fetal
D005333 Fetus The unborn young of a viviparous mammal, in the postembryonic period, after the major structures have been outlined. In humans, the unborn young from the end of the eighth week after CONCEPTION until BIRTH, as distinguished from the earlier EMBRYO, MAMMALIAN. Fetal Structures,Fetal Tissue,Fetuses,Mummified Fetus,Retained Fetus,Fetal Structure,Fetal Tissues,Fetus, Mummified,Fetus, Retained,Structure, Fetal,Structures, Fetal,Tissue, Fetal,Tissues, Fetal
D006339 Heart Rate The number of times the HEART VENTRICLES contract per unit of time, usually per minute. Cardiac Rate,Chronotropism, Cardiac,Heart Rate Control,Heartbeat,Pulse Rate,Cardiac Chronotropy,Cardiac Chronotropism,Cardiac Rates,Chronotropy, Cardiac,Control, Heart Rate,Heart Rates,Heartbeats,Pulse Rates,Rate Control, Heart,Rate, Cardiac,Rate, Heart,Rate, Pulse
D006340 Heart Rate, Fetal The heart rate of the FETUS. The normal range at term is between 120 and 160 beats per minute. Fetal Heart Rate,Fetal Heart Rates,Heart Rates, Fetal,Rate, Fetal Heart,Rates, Fetal Heart

Related Publications

J Räsänen
December 1985, Obstetrics and gynecology,
J Räsänen
July 2001, Ultrasound in obstetrics & gynecology : the official journal of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology,
J Räsänen
April 1985, American journal of obstetrics and gynecology,
J Räsänen
January 1985, Journal of perinatal medicine,
J Räsänen
July 1992, The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics,
Copied contents to your clipboard!