DOPAMINE

Course overview

DOPAMINE IS A PERIPHERAL VASOSTIMULANT USED TO TREAT LOW BLOOD PRESSURE, LOW HEART RATE, AND CARDIAC ARREST. LOW INFUSION RATES (0.5 TO 2 MICROGRAMS/KG PER MINUTE) ACT ON THE VISCERAL VASCULATURE TO PRODUCE VASODILATION, INCLUDING THE KIDNEYS, RESULTING IN INCREASED URINARY FLOW. INTERMEDIATE INFUSION RATES (FROM 2 TO 10 MICROGRAMS/KG/MIN) STIMULATE MYOCARDIAL CONTRACTILITY AND INCREASE ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY IN THE HEART LEADING TO INCREASED CARDIAC OUTPUT. HIGHER DOSES CAUSE VASOCONSTRICTION AND INCREASED BLOOD PRESSURE VIA THE ADRENERGIC RECEPTORS ALPHA-1, BETA-1, AND BETA-2, POTENTIALLY LEADING TO POOR PERIPHERAL CIRCULATION. THIS ACTIVITY WILL HIGHLIGHT THE MECHANISM OF ACTION, ADVERSE EVENT PROFILE, PHARMACOLOGY, MONITORING, AND RELEVANT INTERACTIONS OF DOXORUBICIN, PERTINENT FOR MEMBERS OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH INDICATED CONDITIONS.