Recent advances in the pharmacology of catecholamines.

The availability of dopamine and dobutamine and the possibility of combined use of sympathomimetic amines provides a broad spectrum of haemodynamic effects available for therapy. As shown in Table 2, isoproterenol produces the greatest vasodilation and norepinephrine, the greatest vasoconstriction with dobutamine and dopamine in intermediate positions. Greater flexibility can be obtained by conjoint administration of sympathomimetic amines or by administering alpha-adrenergic blocking agents or nitroprusside with dopamine or norepinephrine.