Recent experimental data have shown that noradrenaline, which has - and -adrenergic effects, has no detrimental effects on microcirculatory blood flow and tissue oxygenation in the intestinal tract. Because of anaesthesia-induced vasodilatation, the use of a continuous infusion of noradrenaline to increase systemic vascular resistance could be useful to prevent detrimental effects of compromised tissue perfusion, especially in high-risk surgical patients.