Effects of Phenylephrine on Cardiac Preload

In patients under general anesthesia, episodes of hypotension are often treated with phenylephrine. The effect of phenylephrine is conventionally attributed to afterload increase. The aim of the study is to describe the time course of the effects of phenylephrine on the cardiac preload and cardiac output, and to evaluate whether phenylephrine, as an exclusive alpha-mimetic, could be beneficial for preload optimisation.