UMEM Educational Pearls

Category: Vascular

Title: Fenoldopam (Corlopam) dosing

Keywords: hypertension (PubMed Search)

Posted: 12/6/2010 by Rob Rogers, MD (Updated: 10/9/2024)
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Got Symptomatic Hypertension? Why not try Fenoldopam?

Fenoldopam is a rapid-acting vasodilator.

  • It is an agonist for D1-like dopamine receptors and binds with moderate affinity to α2-adrenoceptors.
  • Effective as nitroprusside, however, it has the advantages of increasing renal blood flow (6 times as potent as dopamine in producing renal vasodilitation) and sodium excretion
  • Not associated with the accumulation of toxic metabolites, and not requiring shielding from light.
  • Fenoldopam can be safely used in all hypertensive emergencies, and may be particularly beneficial in patients with renal insufficiency.

Dosing (Adult): After a starting dose of 0.1 to 0.3 mcg/kg/minute, the dose is titrated at 15 minute intervals, depending on the BP response. May be increased in increments of 0.05 to 0.1 mcg/kg/minute every 15 minutes until target blood pressure is reached. Maximal infusion rate reported in clinical studies: 1.6 mcg/kg/minute.

Onset/duration: 5-10 minutes/~ 1 hour.

References

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