Dobutamine : Therapeutic uses, Dosage & Side Effects
Dobutamine (cathecholamine) is a adrenergic agonist (direct acting), used as Cardiac stimulants in treating heart failure caused by surgery or heart disease. It may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.
Dose : 2-8 μg /kg/min. I.V. infusion (MUST BE DILUTED PRIOR TOADMINISTRATION)
Route : Intravenous
Onset of action : Within 1 to 2 minutes
Plasma Half-life : 2 minutes
Duration of action : around 2 min.
Bioavailability : ?
Chemical formula : C18H23NO3
IUPAC name : (RS)-4-(2-{[4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)butan-2-yl]amino}ethyl)benzene-1,2-diol
Trade name : Dobutrex, Dobustat, Crdiject
Therapeutic uses : Dobutamine has following usage:
- Used to increase cardiac output in acute heart failure, as well as for inotropic support after cardiac surgery.
- Indicated for the short-term treatment of cardiac decompensation that may occur after cardiac surgery or in patients with congestive heart failure or acute myocardial infarction.
Point of interest :
- An infusion of dobutamine in combination with echocardiography is useful in the noninvasive assessment of patients with coronary artery disease.
- Stressing of the heart with dobutamine may reveal cardiac abnormalities in carefully selected patients.
- The drug increases cardiac output and does not significantly elevate oxygen demands of the myocardium, a major advantage over other sympathomimetic drugs.
Warnings :
- Increase in Heart Rate or Blood Pressure i.e. Tachycardia, or Hypertension
- Hypersensitivity
- Ectopic Activity
Side effects : Adverse effects are as follows:
- Tachycardia,
- Hypertension,
- Ventricular Ectopic Activity
- Anxiety,
- Fear,
- Headache,
- Restlessness,
- Tension,
- Nausea,
- Anginal pain,
- Nonspecific chest pain,
- Palpitations,
- Shortness of breath,
- Arrhythmia.
Dobutamine is less arrhythmogenic than Adrenaline.
Contraindications :
- It should be used with caution in atrial fibrillation, because it increases AV conduction.
- DobutamineHCl is contraindicated in patients with idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis and in patients who have shown previous manifestations of hypersensitivity to Dobutamine Injection, USP solution.
For detailed query or in case of uncertainty, Always consult your doctor or pharmacist.
