What it means
A man-made catecholamine that acts mainly on beta-1 receptors in the heart. It increases the force of each heartbeat and so raises cardiac outputKAR-dee-ak OWT-putThe amount of blood the heart pumps out in one minute.Full entry , with less effect on blood vessels than dopamineDOH-puh-meenA natural brain chemical, also given as an IV drug that raises blood pressure and makes the heart pump harder.Full entry . It is given by continuous IV infusion in critical care for severe heart failurehart FAYL-yerA long-term condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's needs.Full entry or after heart surgery, and sometimes during cardiac stress tests.
For the nurse
Give on an infusion pump with continuous heart monitoring and frequent blood pressure checks. Report a fast heart rate, new irregular rhythms, chest pain or a big change in blood pressure. Its name looks and sounds like dopamine: check the label and the order every time.
At a glance
| Drug class | adrenergic agonist (inotrope) |
|---|---|
| Spanish | dobutamina |
Easy to confuse with
dopamine
A natural brain chemical, also given as an IV drug that raises blood pressure and makes the heart pump harder.
Related terms
heart failure
A long-term condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's needs.
cardiac output
The amount of blood the heart pumps out in one minute.
norepinephrine
A hormone and nerve messenger that narrows blood vessels and raises blood pressure, also given as an IV drug.
dopamine
A natural brain chemical, also given as an IV drug that raises blood pressure and makes the heart pump harder.