Table 8. Hemodynamic properties of common inotropes and vasopressors.

Agent		Common infusion rate	Mechanism of action				Hemodynamic effect
			α1	β1	β2	Dopamine	CO	SVR
Vasopressors
	Dopamine	0.5–20 μg/kg/min	~+++	+ ~ +++	~+	++ ~ +++	↑ ~ ↑↑	↑ ~ ↑↑
	Norepinephrine	0.05–0.4 μg/kg/min	++++	++	+		↑	↑↑
	Epinephrine	0.01–0.5 μg/kg/min	++++	++++	+++		↑↑	↑↑
	Phenylephrine	0.1–10 μg/kg/min	+++					↑↑
Inodilators
	Dobutamine	2–20 μg/kg/min	+	++++	++		↑↑	↓
	Milrinone	0.125–0.75 μg/kg/min	Phosphodiesterase-3 inhibition				↑	↓
	Isoproterenol	2–20 μg/min		++++	+++		↑↑	↓

CO = cardiac output; SVR = systemic vascular resistance.

Adapted from van Diepen et al.⁵³⁾ with the permission of the American Heart Association.