[The influence of dopamine on hemodynamics, microcirculation and renal function in patients with hypnotic drug intoxication (author's transl)]

Abstract

The effect of dopamine on hemodynamics (CO, AoPm, TPR, SV, SW, CVP, PAPm, PAEDP), microcirculation (MBF, PS-product) and renal function (VU, CKI, CNa, CK, Cosm, TcH2O) was studied in 8 patients with hypnotic drug poisoning. With increasing doses of dopamine, cardiac output and heart rate increased and the peripheral resistance decreased. An augmentation of stroke volume and left ventricular stroke work was observed in the low dose range only (200--400 mug/min). With increasing doses, central venous pressure as well as mean pulmonary artery pressure and enddiastolic pulmonary artery pressure decreased. No vasoconstriction was found in muscle tissue vessels even with large doses of dopamine. This is explained by the vasoplegic properties of hypnotic drugs. In circulatory shock associated with hypnotic drug poisoning, dopamine develops only minor pressure effects in contrast to its action in circulatory shock of cardiogenic or septic shock origin. High doses of dopamine result in a significant increase in heart rate, without concomitant increase in stroke volume and blood pressure. Therefore the dosage of dopamine should not exceed 400 mug/min in these cases. A combination with small doses of norepinephrine (10--20 mug/min) seems to be more effective. Renal function tests showed variable expansion of urine volume, glomerular filtration rate, and clearances of sodium, potassium and osmotic substances. Therapy with dopamine might increase the renal elimination rate of hypnotic drugs.