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Dopamine Drug Center

Dopamine (dopamine hydrochloride) is a naturally occurring compound that is a catecholamine, a class of compounds (drugs) that act by inotropic effect on heart muscle (causes more intense contractions) that, in turn, can raise blood pressure. At high doses, Dopamine may help correct low blood pressure due to low systemic vascular resistance. Dopamine is available in only the generic form. It is used to treat hypotension (low blood pressure), low cardiac output, and reduced perfusion of body organs due to shock, trauma, and sepsis. Side effects of Dopamine have been poorly documented, but may include ectopic or irregular heartbeats, nausea, anxiety, and shortness of breath.

Dopamine is packaged in 200, 400 and 800 mg/5 ml vials and must be diluted before it is administered by intravenous methods, and almost always in a hospital by trained personnel or by Emergency Medical Technicians that are trained in its use. Initial doses of Dopamine are started as an intravenous drip at a rate of 5 micrograms per Kg per minute (5 mcg/Kg/min). Then the drug can be increased at a rate of about 5 – 10 mcg increments to obtain the correct dose to treat the individual patient's symptoms. If rates above 50 mcg/Kg/min are needed, renal output problems may occur; some renal effects may begin at 20 mcg/Kg/min. Dopamine is not for home use. Serious side effects include heart arrhythmias that can be life-threatening, kidney damage, and gangrene of digits sometimes seen at the higher doses. Other medications such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) and anesthetic agents can markedly increase these serious cardiac side effects while vasoconstrictors may enhance gangrene development. Reports of phenytoin use with Dopamine have resulted in hypotension (low blood pressure) in some patients. Caution is urged for dopamine use in pregnancy and breastfeeding women; there is very little data available to support usage. The same cautionary situation exists for the use of Dopamine in pediatric patients.

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