Vasoactive medication receptor activity and clinical effects

Drug	Receptor activity					Predominant clinical effects
Drug	Alpha-1	Beta-1	Beta-2	Dopaminergic	Vasopressin-1 and -2	Predominant clinical effects
Phenylephrine	+++	0	0	0	0	SVR ↑↑, CO ↔/↓
Norepinephrine	+++	++	0	0	0	SVR ↑↑, CO ↔/↑
Epinephrine	+++	+++	++	0	0	CO ↑↑, SVR ↓ (low dose) SVR/↑ (higher dose)
Dopamine (mcg/kg/min)^*
0.5 to 2	0	+	+	++	0	CO
5 to 10	+	++	0	++	0	CO ↑, SVR ↑
10 to 20	++	++	0	++	0	SVR ↑↑
Dobutamine	0/+	+++	++	0	0	CO ↑, SVR ↓
Isoproterenol	0	+++	+++	0	0	CO ↑, SVR ↓
Vasopressin	0	0	0	0	+++	SVR ↑↑
Milrinone^¶	0	0	0	0		CO ↑↑, SVR ↓

+: weak effect; ++: moderate effect; +++: very strong effect; 0: no effect; CO: cardiac output; SVR: systemic vascular resistance.

* Doses between 2 and 5 mcg/kg/minute have variable effects.

¶ Milrinone is a nonadrenergic phosphodiesterase 3 inhibitor.

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