Background
- Synthetic catecholamine with B1 and B2 agonist activity, causing inotropy and chronotropy and mild vasodilation
Indications
- Systolic heart failure causing cardiogenic shock, especially if bradycardic
- Also used for cardiac stress testing
Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics
- Half-life is a few minutes
Dosing
- Start at 2 to 20 mcg/kg/min (max 40)
Safety
Adverse Drug Reactions
- Tachycardia
- Hypertension or hypotension
- Increased ventricular response in atrial fibrillation
- Ventricular arrhythmias
- Can worsen myocardial ischemia
- Eosinophilic myocarditis
