Dobutamine vs. Dopamine

Dobutamine and dopamine are catecholamines used to treat low blood pressure (hypotension), low cardiac output, and reduced perfusion of body organs due to shock, trauma, and sepsis.

Side effects of dobutamine and dopamine that are similar include increased heart rate and increased blood pressure, headache, nausea, and vomiting.

Side effects of dobutamine that are different from dopamine include ventricular ectopic activity, nervousness, palpitations, low platelet counts (thrombocytopenia), and swelling at the injection site.

Side effects of dopamine that are different from dobutamine include irregular heartbeats, anxiety, chills, goosebumps, and shortness of breath.

Both dobutamine and dopamine may interact with beta-blockers.

Dobutamine may also interact with nitroprusside.

Dopamine may also interact with droperidol, epinephrine, haloperidol, midodrine, phenytoin, vasopressin, diuretics (water pills), antidepressants, cough or cold medicines that contain antihistamines or decongestants, ergot medicines, and phenothiazines.

Common side effects of Dobutamine include:

• increased heart rate and increased blood pressure,
• ventricular ectopic activity,
• nervousness,
• headache,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• palpitations,
• low platelet counts (thrombocytopenia), or
• swelling at the injection site.

Contact your doctor if you have serious side effects of dobutamine including:

• low blood pressure,
• chest pain (angina),
• fast or slow heartbeat,
• shortness of breath, or
• trouble breathing.

Common side effects of Dopamine include:

• Irregular heartbeats
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Anxiety
• Headache
• Chills
• Goosebumps
• Shortness of breath

Serious side effects of Dopamine include:

• Heart arrhythmias that can be life-threatening
• Kidney damage
• Gangrene of digits at the higher doses.

Dobutamine Injection is a catecholamine indicated when parenteral therapy is necessary for inotropic support in the short-term treatment of adults with cardiac decompensation due to depressed contractility resulting either from organic heart disease or from cardiac surgical procedures.

Dopamine (dopamine hydrochloride) is a catecholamine drug that acts by inotropic effect on the 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 used to treat hypotension (low blood pressure), low cardiac output, and reduced perfusion of body organs due to shock, trauma, and sepsis.

Dobutamine may interact with beta-blockers and nitroprusside. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use. Dobutamine should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed. It is unknown if dobutamine passes into breast milk. If a mother requires dobutamine treatment, breastfeeding should be discontinued for the duration of the treatment.

Dopamine may interact with droperidol, epinephrine, haloperidol, midodrine, phenytoin, vasopressin, diuretics (water pills), antidepressants, beta blockers, cough or cold medicine that contains antihistamines or decongestants, ergot medicines, phenothiazines. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.

The usual adult dosage of Dobutamine ranges from 50 to 200 g in a 24-hour period, but in most instances an adequate response will be achieved at a dosage of approximately 100 g/24 hours.

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.