A review of potential cardiovascular uses of intravenous glucagon administration

Glucagon is a counter-regulatory hormone that is classically used to treat hypoglycemia. However, it can elicit the generation of cAMP within the myoc ardium to cause positive inotropic and chronotropic effects without the nee d for beta-1 adrenoceptor stimulation. Glucagon has been used extensively t o treat beta-blocker overdose and has evidence for use has been used as adj unctive therapy in shock situations and heart failure but is inferior to ca techolamines. An interesting potential indication for glucagon is in treati ng post-countershock asystole. (C) 1999 the American College of Clinical Ph armacology.