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Dopamine Hydrochloride, Injection

DOH-pa-meen hy-droh-KLOR-ide

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KEY POINTS

  • This medicine is given by IV infusion to improve blood circulation and help your heart pump better.
  • This medicine may cause unwanted side effects. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that are serious, continue, or get worse.
  • Tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take.

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What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: adrenergic agonist (increases cardiac output)

Generic and brand names: dopamine hydrochloride, injection; Dopamine Hydrochloride in 5% Dextrose

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is given by IV infusion (slow drip through a needle into a large vein). It is used to improve the circulation of your blood and the way your heart pumps. You may need this medicine if you are in shock from:

  • Heart attack
  • Septicemia (serious blood infection)
  • Kidney failure
  • Heart failure
  • Trauma (serious injury)
  • Open heart surgery

This medicine may be used to treat other conditions as determined by your healthcare provider.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:

  • An allergic reaction to any medicines or to sulfites (preservatives)
  • Asthma
  • Circulation problems such as Raynaud’s disease
  • Diabetes
  • Pheochromocytoma (a tumor on the adrenal gland)

Females of childbearing age: Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.

How do I use it?

The infusion is given by a healthcare provider, usually in a hospital or clinic. You will be closely watched when you are given this medicine. The dosage will be adjusted depending on how the medicine affects you.

What should I watch out for?

Tell your provider right away if you have pain, redness, or swelling at the infusion site.

If you need emergency care, surgery, lab tests, or dental work, tell the healthcare provider or dentist you have received this medicine.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life-threatening (Report these to your healthcare provider right away. If you cannot reach your healthcare provider right away, get emergency medical care or call 911 for help.): Allergic reaction (hives; itching; rash; trouble breathing; tightness in your chest; swelling of your lips, tongue, and throat).

Serious (Report these to your healthcare provider right away.): Fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat; chest pain; shortness of breath; severe dizziness or fainting; pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site.

Other: Nausea, vomiting, headache, nervousness.

What products might interact with this medicine?

Receiving an infusion of this medicine while you are taking other medicines can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Also, using these medicines together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking any of these medicines:

  • Alpha blockers such as doxazosin (Cardura) and prazosin (Minipress)
  • Antibiotics such as linezolid (Zyvox) and tedizolid (Sivextro)
  • Antipsychotic medicines such as chlorpromazine, perphenazine, prochlorperazine (Compro), thioridazine, and trifluoperazine
  • Atomoxetine (Strattera)
  • Beta blockers such as acebutolol (Sectral), atenolol (Tenormin), carvedilol (Coreg), labetalol (Trandate), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol), nadolol (Corgard), pindolol, and sotalol (Betapace, Sorine)
  • Bupropion (Aplenzin, Forfivo, Wellbutrin, Buproban, Zyban)
  • Diuretics (water pills) such as amiloride, bumetanide, chlorothiazide (Diuril), furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide), spironolactone (Aldactone), torsemide (Demadex), and triamterene (Dyrenium)
  • Doxepin (Silenor)
  • Ephedrine, epinephrine (Adrenalin, Asthmanefrin, Auvi-Q, EpiPen), phenylephrine (Neo-Synephrine, Sudafed PE), or pseudoephedrine (Sudafed)
  • Ergot medicines such as ergotamine (Ergomar) and methylergonovine
  • Haloperidol (Haldol)
  • Linezolid (Zyvox)
  • MAO inhibitors such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), and tranylcypromine (Parnate) (Do not take this medicine and an MAO inhibitor within 14 days of each other.)
  • Medicines to treat breathing or lung problems such as albuterol (ProAir, Proventil, Ventolin), aminophylline, arformoterol (Brovana), fluticasone/salmeterol (Advair), formoterol (Perforomist), metaproterenol, mometasone/formoterol (Dulera), salmeterol (Serevent), terbutaline, and theophylline
  • Parkinson’s disease medicines such as entacapone (Comtan) and tolcapone (Tasmar)
  • Phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek)
  • Propranolol (Hemangeol, Inderal, InnoPran)
  • Stimulants such as amphetamine/dextroamphetamine (Adderall), dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine), methamphetamine (Desoxyn), and methylphenidate (Concerta, Daytrana, Metadate, Ritalin)
  • Tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline, desipramine (Norpramin), imipramine (Tofranil), and nortriptyline (Pamelor)

If you are not sure if your medicines might interact, ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider. Keep a list of all your medicines with you. List all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.


This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.

Developed by RelayHealth.
Medication Advisor 2016.4 published by RelayHealth.
Last modified: 2016-10-06
Last reviewed: 2015-10-26
This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information is intended to inform and educate and is not a replacement for medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.
Copyright © 2016 RelayHealth, a division of McKesson Technologies Inc. All rights reserved.
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