The Mechanism of Action of Dobutamine
Authors: ROBERT R. RUFFOLO
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1984)

Letters and Corrections1 February 1984The Mechanism of Action of DobutamineROBERT R. RUFFOLO JR., PH.D.ROBERT R. RUFFOLO JR., PH.D.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-100-2-313 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptTo the editor: The review by Leier and Unverferth (1) detailing 5 years of clinical experience with the inotropic agent, dobutamine, is an invaluable reference source. There are two points raised in the article that I believe need to be addressed further. The authors indicate that dobutamine is a strong beta1-adrenoceptor agonist and only a mild beta2- and alpha1-adrenoceptor agonist, and that the inotropic activity of dobutamine is mediated by stimulation of myocardial beta1-adrenoceptors. Recent animal studies show that the ability of dobutamine to stimulate alpha1- and beta2-adrenoceptors is at least as great as its ability to stimulate beta1-adrenoceptors (2,...References1. LEIERUNVERFERTH CD. Dobutamine. Ann Intern Med. 1983;99:490-6. LinkGoogle Scholar2. RUFFOLOSPRADLINPOLLOCKWADDELLMURPHY RTGJP. Alpha- and beta-adrenergic effects of the stereoisomers of dobutamine. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1981;219:447-52. MedlineGoogle Scholar3. RUFFOLOYADEN RE. Vascular effects of the stereoisomers of dobutamine. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1983;224:46-50. MedlineGoogle Scholar4. KENAKIN T. An in vitro quantitative analysis of the alpha-adrenoceptor partial agonist activity of dobutamine and its relevance to inotropic selectivity. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 1981;216:210-9. MedlineGoogle Scholar5. SCHUMANNWAGNERKNORRREIDEMEISTERSADONYSCHRAMM HJAJVG. Demonstration in human atrial preparations of alpha-adrenoceptors mediating positive inotropic effects. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol. 1978;302:333-6. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited ByDobutamine stress testing in patients with Fontan circulation augmented by biomechanical modelingAcute and Chronic Heart Failure: Positive Inotropes, Vasodilators, and DigoxinPharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Relationship of Dobutamine and Heart Rate, Stroke Volume and Cardiac Output in Healthy VolunteersHemodynamic effects of arbutamineSevere Ischemia of the Hand Following Concomitant Catheterization of the Radial Artery and Systemic Administration of DopamineReproducibility of the Dobutamine-Atropine Echocardiography Stress TestEffects of Vasoactive Substances on Oxygen Transport and Tissue OxygenationThe Pharmacology of Peripheral at and α2-AndrenoceptorsReview: The Pharmacology of DobutamineShort- and long-term dobutamine treatment in chronic ischemic heart failureInotropic Drugs for the Treatment of Heart FailureInteractions of the enantiomers of 3-O-methyldobutamine with α- and β-adrenoceptors in vitroSystemic hemodynamic effects of dopamine, and the (+)- and (−)-enantiomers of dobutamine in anesthetized normotensive ratsINTERACTION OF THE ENANTIOMERS OF 3-0-METHYLDOBUTAMINE, A METABOLITE OF DOBUTAMINE, WITH α- AND β-ADRENORECEPTORS IN THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM OF THE PITHED RAT 1 February 1984Volume 100, Issue 2Page: 313-314 Issue Published: 1 February 1984 PDF DownloadLoading ...