ADULTS :- 2-50 MCG/KG/MIN CAN BE INCREASED UPTO 100 MCG/KG/MIN BY SLOW I.V. INFUSION. CHILDREN :- 2-20 MCG/KG/MIN.
DOPAMINE IS GIVEN AS THE HYDROCHLORIDE BY INTRAVENOUS INFUSION AS A DILUTE SOLUTION (USUALLY 1.6 OR 3.2 MG/ML, ALTHOUGH MORE DILUTE SOLUTIONS MAY BE USED WHERE FLUID EXPANSION IS NOT A PROBLEM), IN GLUCOSE 5%, SODIUM CHLORIDE 0.9%, OR OTHER SUITABLE DILUENTS; MANY FLUIDS ARE SUITABLE AND THE MANUFACTURERS' DATA SHEETS OR LITERATURE SHOULD BE CONSULTED. THE INITIAL RATE IS 1 TO 5 MICROGRAMS/KG PER MINUTE, GRADUALLY INCREASED BY UP TO 5 TO 10 MICROGRAMS/KG PER MINUTE ACCORDING TO THE PATIENT'S BLOOD PRESSURE, CARDIAC OUTPUT, AND URINE OUTPUT. UP TO 20 TO 50 MICROGRAMS/KG PER MINUTE MAY BE REQUIRED IN SERIOUSLY ILL PATIENTS; HIGHER DOSES HAVE BEEN GIVEN. A REDUCTION IN URINE FLOW, WITHOUT HYPOTENSION, MAY INDICATE A NEED TO REDUCE THE DOSE. TO AVOID TISSUE NECROSIS DOPAMINE IS BEST GIVEN VIA A LARGE VEIN HIGH UP IN A LIMB, PREFERABLY THE ARM.