What is one cardiovascular effect of dopamine?

What is one cardiovascular effect of dopamine?

• A. Decreases heart rate
• B. Increases heart rate and blood pressure
• C. Decreases blood pressure
• D. No effect

Answer: (B)

Dopamine acts in a dose-dependent way on different receptors, producing a mix of heart and vessel effects. At moderate doses it stimulates beta1 receptors in the heart, increasing heart rate and contractility, which raises cardiac output. At higher doses it also activates alpha1 receptors in blood vessels, causing vasoconstriction and higher systemic vascular resistance, which raises blood pressure. So a key cardiovascular effect you’d expect is an increase in both heart rate and blood pressure. (Low doses can mainly affect renal perfusion via dopaminergic receptors, with less direct impact on heart rate or blood pressure.)

Dopamine acts in a dose-dependent way on different receptors, producing a mix of heart and vessel effects. At moderate doses it stimulates beta1 receptors in the heart, increasing heart rate and contractility, which raises cardiac output. At higher doses it also activates alpha1 receptors in blood vessels, causing vasoconstriction and higher systemic vascular resistance, which raises blood pressure. So a key cardiovascular effect you’d expect is an increase in both heart rate and blood pressure. (Low doses can mainly affect renal perfusion via dopaminergic receptors, with less direct impact on heart rate or blood pressure.)