Summary
The effect of an intravenous infusion of dopamine (0.5 to 1.25 µg/kg/min) for periods of between 36 and 105h has been studied in eight patients with hypertension and varying degrees of renal impairment. There was a significant rise in the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) from 31.2±20.2 to 42.8±26.8 ml/min (p<.05) after four hours of the infusion but after 48 h of infusion the mean GFR was no different from the control value. The paraaminohippuric acid (PAH) clearance also rose from 129.8±115.4 ml/min to 173.1±164.3 ml/min (p<0.05) after four hours of infusion, but like the GFR it was no different from control after 48 h of the infusion. The daily urine volumes increased significantly during the dopamine infusion from 2176.0±49.2 ml/day to 3809.0±118.8 ml/day (p<0.002) but had returned to control values after 48 h of continuing dopamine infusion. Following the end of the infusion there was a significant reduction in the urine volume to 1213.0±195.0 ml/day (p<0.001). There was a rise in sodium excretion during the dopamine infusion from 94.8±50.7 meq/day to 264.7±172.8 meq/day (p<0.01) with a fall after the end of the infusion to 33.2±27.5 meq/day (p<0.05). There was no change in the blood urea during the dopamine infusion but after stopping the infusion the blood urea rose from 83.5±39.4 mg% to 95.1±39.0 mg% (p<0.02). We conclude that intravenous infusion of dopamine to patients with hypertension and renal impairment may produce initial clinical improvement but is of little therapeutic benefit when given for prolonged periods.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Barnardo, D.E., Baldus, W.P., Maher, F.T.: Effects of dopamine on renal function in patients with cirrhosis. Gastroenterology58, 524–531 (1970)
Bratton, A.C., Marshall, E.K.: A new coupling component for sulphonilamide determination. J. biol. Chem.128, 537–550 (1939)
Breckenridge, A., Orme, M., Dollery, C.T.: The effect of dopamine on renal blood flow in man. Europ. J. clin. pharmacol.3, 131–136 (1971)
Goldberg, L.I., McDonald, R.H., Zimmerman, A.M.: Sodium diuresis produced by dopamine in patients with congestive cardiac failure. New. Engl. J. med.268, 1060–1064 (1963)
Keith, N.M., Wagener, H.P., Barker, N.W.: Some different types of essential hypertension: their course and prognosis. Amer. J. med. Sci.197, 332–343 (1939)
MacConnell, K.L., McNay, J.L., Meyer, M.B., Goldberg, L.I.: Dopamine in the treatment of hypotension. New. Engl. J. med.275, 1389–1398 (1966)
McDonald, R.H., Goldberg, L.I.: Analysis of the cardiovascular effects of dopamine in the dog. J. Pharmacol. exp. Ther.140, 60–66 (1963)
McDonald, R.H., Goldberg, L.I., McNay, J.L., Tuttle, E.P.: Effect of dopamine in man. Augmentation of sodium excretion, glomerular filtration rate, and renal plasma flow. J. clin. Invest.43, 1116–1124 (1964)
Rosenblum, R., Frieden, J.: Intravenous dopamine in the treatment of myocardial dysfunction after open-heart surgery. Amer. Heart J.83, 743–748 (1972)
Talley, R.C., Forland, M., Beller, B.: Reversal of acute renal failure with a combination of intravenous dopamine and diuretics. Clin. Res.18, 518 (1970)
Young, M.K., Raisz, L.G.: An anthrone procedure for determination of inulin in biological fluids. Proc. Soc. exp. Biol. med.80, 771–774 (1952)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Orme, M.L.E., Breckenridge, A. & Dollery, C.T. The effects of long term administration of dopamine on renal function in hypertensive patients. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 6, 150–155 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00558278
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00558278