Because of its short half-life, Dobutamine Hydrochloride must be administered as a continuous intravenous infusion. Following the initiation of a constant rate infusion, or upon changing the rate, a steady-state dobutamine plasma concentration is achieved within approximately 10 minutes. Thus, loading doses or bolus injections are not necessary and are not recommended.Recommended Dosage: The rate of infusion needed to increase cardiac output has ranged from 2.5 to 10 mcg/kg/min in the majority of patients. Frequently, doses up to 20 mcg/kg/min are required for adequate haemodynamic improvement. On rare occasions, infusion rates up to 40 mcg/kg/min have been reported. The rate of administration and the duration of therapy should be adjusted according to the patient's response, The indicators are: haemodynamic parameters such as heart rate and rhythm, arterial pressure, and, whenever possible, cardiac output and measurements of ventricular filling pressures and signs of pulmonary congestion. Concentrations up to 5,000 mg/L have been administered to humans. The final volume administered should be determined by the fluid requirements of the patient. Rather than abruptly discontinuing therapy with Dobutamine Hydrochloride, it is often advisable to decrease the dosage gradually.Rates of Infusion Based on Concentration of Dobutamine Hydrochloride: The rates of fluid infusion that are required to deliver specific dosages are a function of the concentration of Dobutamine Hydrochloride in the infusate. The following table provides a guideline of infusion rates (mL/kg/min) required for 3 frequently used concentrations of Dobutamine Hydrochloride (250, 500, and 1000 mg/L).Dobutamine Injection when diluted to 250 micrograms/mL and 500 micrograms/mL with 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection and 5% Glucose Injection, was found to be stable for 24 hours at room temperature and in the presence of fluorescent light.
