Table 2

Summary of the effects of commonly used vasoactive drugs on intensive care at the cellular level

Medication	Dose (μg/kg/min, unless stated)	Receptors
Medication	Dose (μg/kg/min, unless stated)	Effect	Alpha 1	Beta 1	Beta 2	Dopamine	V1	PDE3
Catecholamines
Epinephrine	0.01–0.1	↑SVR, ↑↑CO	+	+++	+
Epinephrine	0.1–0.5	↑↑SVR ↑CO	+++	+	+
Norepinephrine	0.04–0.4	↑↑SVR, ↑CO	++++
Dopamine	0.5–2	↑CO		+		+++
	5–10	↑↑CO, ↑SVR	+	+++	+	++
	>10	↑↑SVR, ↑CO	+++	++		++
Dobutamine	2.5–20	↑↑CO, ↓SVR, ↓PVR	+	++++	++
Phosphodiesterase inhibitors
Milrinone	0.125–0.75	↑CO, ↓SVR, ↓PVR						–
Calcium sensitisers
Levosimendan	0.05–0.2	↑CO, ↓SVR, ↓PVR						–
Vasoconstrictors
Phenylephrine	0.1–10	↑↑SVR	++++
Vasopressin	0.02–0.04 U/min	↑↑SVR ↔PVR					++++

↑, Increase; ↑↑, Significant increase; ↓, Decrease; ↔, No effect ort modest decrease; +, Increase
CO, cardiac output; PDE3, phosphodiesterase 3 receptor; PVR, peripheral vascular resistance; SVR, systemic vascular resistance; V1, vasopressin one receptor.