Agent
|
Mechanism
|
Indications
| Dosing
|
Dopamine (Inotropin)
|
vasoconstriction with increase in cardiac output
|
Septic Shock, Cardiac Failure
| 0.5-10 mcg/kg/min (Max: 50 mcg/kg/min)
|
| Dobutamine (Dobutrex)
|
increased cardiac output with a small reduction in blood pressure (temporary peripheral use is acceptable)
|
refractory heart failure and cardiogenic shock, avoid in sepsis
| 2.5-20 mcg/kg/min (Max: 40 mcg/kg/min)
|
Phenylephrine (Neosynephrine)
|
elevated systemic vascular resistance
|
neurogenic shock, septic shock refractory to dopamine and dobutamine
| 1-4 mcg/min (Max: 20 mcg/min)
|
Vasopressin (Pitressin)
|
weak pressor
|
|
|
Epinphrine
|
elevated SVR along with increased cardiac activity
|
anaphylactic shock, septic shock (third-line agent)
| 2-10 mcg/min (Max: 20 mcg/min)
|
| Norepinephrine (Levophed) |
vasoconstriction with a slight increase in cardiac output |
septic shock |
0.5-20 mcg/min (Max: 30 mcg/min)
|