ABSTRACT
EPINEPHRINE Epinephrine at a high dose stimulates β1, β2, and α receptors. It is used primarily in the setting of cardiac arrest or anaphylaxis, because of its powerful inotropic and chronotropic effects in combination with a vasoconstrictor effect to increase blood pressure.The usual dose in the case of cardiac arrest is 1 mg intravenous bolus every 3 to 5 minutes.The intravenous dose in acute shock is 0.1 to 0.4 μg/kg/min.Doses exceeding about 0.2 μg/kg per minute decrease renal blood flow, gastrointestinal motility, and splanchnic vascular bed perfusion. Epinephrine also increases conduction velocity in the myocardium and increases ectopic pacemaker activity.
