How long can dopamine maintain blood pressure?

Dopamine, as a medication, is primarily used in clinical settings for the treatment of shock and hypotensive states. Its role in maintaining blood pressure is achieved through its properties as a vasoactive agent. Dopamine mainly acts on dopamine receptors in the heart and blood vessels, enhancing myocardial contractility and heart rate while dilating renal blood vessels, thereby increasing blood pressure. The duration of dopamine's effect can be influenced by multiple factors, including individual physiological differences and the severity of the condition.

Generally, after dopamine injection, its effects begin to manifest within about 5 minutes, effectively constricting blood vessels and elevating blood pressure. This effect typically lasts from 5 to approximately 10 minutes. However, once dopamine infusion is discontinued, its effects also diminish relatively quickly because dopamine has a very short half-life in the body, of about 2 minutes. This means that continuous infusion of dopamine is necessary if sustained blood pressure support is required.

Although dopamine is a rapid and effective agent for maintaining blood pressure, long-term or high-dose use of dopamine may lead to certain side effects, such as arrhythmias and myocardial ischemia.