Norepinephrine Outperforms Dopamine in Adults with Septic Shock

Use of norepinephrine was associated with a 9% reduction in mortality compared with dopamine.

According to the Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines, norepinephrine or its precursor, dopamine, are both recommended as first-line treatments to improve organ perfusion in patients with septic shock. To determine which vasopressor is better, researchers conducted a meta-analysis of six randomized trials that compared the two agents in patients with septic shock and that reported in-hospital or 28-day mortality.

The trials included a total of 995 patients randomized to norepinephrine and 1048 randomized to dopamine. Overall, mortality was significantly lower in the norepinephrine group than in the dopamine group (48% vs. 53%). Arrhythmias were significantly less common with norepinephrine than with dopamine (relative risk, 0.43).

Comment

This study suggests that norepinephrine is superior to dopamine for adult patients with refractory septic shock. The finding that dopamine is associated with more arrhythmias might explain the higher mortality, as arrhythmias can impair cardiac function, thereby leading to worse outcomes.

Reviewing Author

Kristi L. Koenig, MD, FACEP

Disclosures

Editorial boardsKoenig & Schultz's Disaster Medicine: Comprehensive Principles and Practices

Kristi L. Koenig, MD, FACEP

Disclosures

Editorial boardsKoenig & Schultz's Disaster Medicine: Comprehensive Principles and Practices

Citation(s):

Vasu TS et al. Norepinephrine or dopamine for septic shock: A systematic review of randomized clinical trials. J Intensive Care Med 2011 Mar 24; [e-pub ahead of print]. (http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0885066610396312)