Abstract

S. Shafia*, Praneeth Chandluri, Ramesh Ganpisetti, Dr. B.V.S. Lakshmi and Dr. P. Aravinda Swami

ABSTRACT

Dobutamine is a direct-acting agent whose primary activity results from stimulation of the ?1-adrenoceptors of the heart, increasing contractility and cardiac output. Since it does not act on dopamine receptors to induce the release of norepinephrine (another ?1agonist), dobutamine is less prone to induce hypertension than is dopamine. Dobutamine is a sympathomimetic drug used in the treatment of heart failure and cardiogenic shock. Its primary mechanism is direct stimulation of ?1 receptors of the sympathetic nervous system. Dobutamine is used to treat acute but potentially reversible heart failure, such as which occurs during cardiac surgery or in cases of septic or cardiogenic shock, on the basis of its positive inotropic action. Most clinical experience with dobutamine is short-term-not more than several hours in duration. Dobutamine hydrochloride is contraindicated in patients with idiopathichypertrophic subaortic stenosis and in patients who have shown previous manifestations of hypersensitivity to dobutamine injectionPrimary side effects include those commonly seen for ?1 active sympathomimetics, such as hypertension, angina, arrhythmia, andtachycardia. Used with caution in atrial fibrillation as it has the effect of increasing the atrioventricular (AV) conduction.The onset of action of dobutamine is within 1 to 2 minutes; however, as much as 10 minutes may be required to obtain the peak effect of a particular infusion rate.