[Comparative study of the effects of dobutamine and dopamine in septic shock]

This work aims at the evaluation of the effects of dobutamine in the effects of dobutamine in the treatment of septic shock and to compare them to the effects of dopamine used in the same conditions. Eleven patients presenting with both a state of septic shock and confirmed cardiac insufficiency were submitted to the protocol. The dosage was determined by the clinical results : 6.22 microgram/kg/min for dopamine and 4.2 to 25 microgram/kg/min for dobutamine. The results show that although the effect on cardiac output is comparable with the two drugs, some differences in their effects delineates their respective distinct indications. Indeed, although dobutamine seems less arythmic, lovers more the ventricular filling pressure and increases less the intra-pulmonary shunt, dopamine causes less reduction in the systemic resistance which in the case of septic shock seems more logical. Nevertheless dobutamine is perhaps easier to handle.