Combined hemodynamic effects of dopamine and dobutamine in cardiogenic shock

In eight mechanically ventilated patients in cardiogenic shock, we assessed the hemodynamic effects of an infusion of dopamine and dobutamine and evaluated its role in preventing the deleterious effects of administering each amine alone. Each patient received three infusions in a randomly assigned order: dopamine, 15 micrograms/kg/min; dobutamine, 15 micrograms/kg/min; and a combination of dopamine, 7.5 micrograms/kg/min, and dobutamine, 7.5 micrograms/kg/min. Stroke volume index increased similarly with the three infusions, but dopamine alone increased oxygen consumption (p less than 0.05 vs dobutamine alone and dopamine-dobutamine combined). The dopamine-dobutamine combination increased mean arterial pressure (p less than 0.05 vs dobutamine), maintained pulmonary capillary wedge pressure within normal limits (p less than vs dopamine), and prevented the worsening of hypoxemia induced by dopamine (p less than 0.05). The dopamine-dobutamine combination appears to be useful in the management of mechanically ventilated patients in cardiogenic shock.