Ibopamine in chronic congestive heart failure: hemodynamic and neurohumoral effects.

Ibopamine is a dopamine-like drug that shows mainly vasoactive properties, predominantly acting on dopamine1-(DA1-) and DA2-adrenoceptors. Ibopamine increases cardiac output, reduces peripheral vascular resistance, and increases renal blood flow, exerting a lesser effect on preload parameters. This hemodynamic improvement is also present even after relatively long-term treatment. There is no evidence of pharmacologic tolerance. In relation to DA2-activation, ibopamine modulates the neurohumoral consequences of heart failure with decreases in plasma renin activity and aldosterone and norepinephrine plasma levels, an effect that can be beneficial in the long-term treatment of heart failure patients.