Dobutamine

Generic name: Dobutamine
Brand names: Dobutrex
Dosage form: intravenous solution (1 mg/mL-D5%; 12.5 mg/mL; 2 mg/mL-D5%; 4 mg/mL-D5%)

Usage of Dobutamine

Dobutamine stimulates heart muscle and improves blood flow by helping the heart pump better.

Dobutamine is used short-term to treat cardiac decompensation due to weakened heart muscle.

Dobutamine is usually given after other heart medicines have been tried without success.

Dobutamine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Dobutamine side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Tell your caregiver right away if you have:

shortness of breath (even with mild exertion), swelling, rapid weight gain;

chest pain, fast or pounding heartbeats;

a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;

wheezing, chest tightness;

dangerously high blood pressure-severe headache, blurred vision, buzzing in your ears, anxiety, confusion, uneven heartbeats, seizure; or

signs of infection in your catheter--pain, swelling, warmth, redness, oozing, or skin changes where the medicine is injected.

Common side effects of dobutamine may include:

nausea, vomiting;

fever, tingly feeling;

headache; or

leg cramps.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Dobutamine

You should not use dobutamine if you are allergic to it.

To make sure dobutamine is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:

high blood pressure;

a heart valve disorder; or

asthma or sulfite allergy.

FDA pregnancy category B. Dobutamine is not expected to harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

It is not known whether dobutamine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How to use Dobutamine

Usual Adult Dose for Congestive Heart Failure:

Initial dose: 0.5 to 1 mcg/kg/min IV infusionMaintenance dose: 2 to 20 mcg/kg/min IV infusionMaximum dose: 40 mcg/kg/min IV infusionComments:-Rate of administration and duration of therapy should be based on blood pressure, heart rate, frequency of ectopic activity, and urine flow; cardiac output, central venous pressure, and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure should also be considered whenever possible.-Concentrations up to 5000 mcg/mL have been administered to humans. Determine final volume based on fluid requirements of the patient.-No controlled-trial experience exists beyond 48 hours of repeated boluses and/or continuous infusions.Use: Inotropic support when parenteral therapy is needed in the short-term treatment of patients with cardiac decompensation due to depressed contractility resulting from organic heart disease or cardiac surgical procedures.

Usual Pediatric Dose for Congestive Heart Failure:

Initial dose: 0.5 to 1 mcg/kg/min IV infusionMaintenance dose: 2 to 20 mcg/kg/min IV infusionMaximum dose: 40 mcg/kg/min IV infusionComments:-Certain container systems of this drug may be inappropriate for the dosage requirements of pediatric patients less than 30 kg.-Rate of administration and duration of therapy should be based on systemic blood pressure, heart rate, frequency of ectopic activity urine flow; cardiac output, central venous pressure, and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure should also be considered whenever possible.-Concentrations up to 5000 mcg/mL have been administered to humans. Determine final volume based on fluid requirements of the patient.-No controlled-trial experience exists beyond 48 hours of repeated boluses and/or continuous infusions.Use: Inotropic support when parenteral therapy is needed in the short-term treatment of patients with cardiac decompensation due to depressed contractility resulting from organic heart disease or cardiac surgical procedures.

Warnings

Your breathing, blood pressure, oxygen levels, and other vital signs will be watched closely while you are receiving dobutamine.

What other drugs will affect Dobutamine

Other drugs may interact with dobutamine, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell each of your health care providers about all medicines you use now and any medicine you start or stop using.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.