title: Use of dopexamine hydrochloride in intensive care patients with low-output left ventricular heart failure.
abstract: The short- and long-term hemodynamic effects of intravenous dopexamine hydrochloride (Dopacard) were studied in 12 patients with low cardiac output left ventricular heart failure. In the short-term study, a dose of 4 micrograms/kg/min produced a 60% increase in cardiac output (p less than 0.001), a 30% increase in stroke volume (p less than 0.01), a 23% increase in heart rate (p less than 0.01) and a 39% decrease in systemic vascular resistance (p less than 0.001). In the long-term study, there was a sustained hemodynamic benefit after 8 hours of dopexamine hydrochloride infusion (mean dose 3.5 micrograms/kg/min). There was a 32% increase in cardiac output (p less than 0.001), an 18% increase in stroke volume (p less than 0.05), a 12% increase in heart rate (p less than 0.001) and a 30% decrease in systemic vascular resistance (p less than 0.01). After 48 hours of dopexamine hydrochloride infusion (mean dose 3.8 micrograms/kg/min), the hemodynamic effect was significant only for cardiac output (+20%, p less than 0.05) and for systemic vascular resistance (-26%, p less than 0.01). Thus, dopexamine hydrochloride has beneficial short-term hemodynamic effects in patients with low-output left ventricular heart failure and the benefit appears to diminish with long-term infusion.
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Department, University Clinic, Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Colardyn
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Vandenbogaerde
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000187:drug effects; D003422:Critical Care; D004298:Dopamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: C046318:dopexamine; D004298:Dopamine