Dopexamine: immunomodulatory, hemodynamic, or both?

Dopexamine is a dopamine analog that has been used for hemodynamic optimization in a number of clinical settings. This animal investigation showed anti-inflammatory effects of dopexamine in a rat endotoxin model without effects on global or regional flow, but it is not time to dispense with hemodynamics altogether just yet. Rather, an integrative approach to the effects of catecholamines, considering both inflammatory and hemodynamic effects, including those on the microcirculation, can help clinicians best understand how to employ them in clinical practice.