Right ventricular function and pulmonary hemodynamics during dopamine infusion in burned patients.

Right ventricular (RV) function and pulmonary hemodynamics were studied in burned patients during dopamine infusion. The dopamine dose varied between 0 to 9.0 +/- 0.7, (mean +/- Se) micrograms/kg/min. No significant improvement in RV hemodynamics was observed as measured by RV end-diastolic volume index and RV ejection fraction. However, with infusion of dopamine, significant elevation in mean pulmonary artery pressures were noted, particularly in patients with pulmonary artery hypertension. Dopamine, in the doses administered, does not improve RV or systemic hemodynamics; in some burned patients, dopamine may have deleterious effects on the pulmonary circulation.