Dobutamine is a medication used in the treatment of cardiogenic shock (as a result of inadequate tissue perfusion) and severe heart failure.

[2] It primarily works by direct stimulation of β1 receptors, which increases the strength of the heart's contractions, leading to a positive inotropic effect.

[3] Dobutamine is used to treat acute but potentially reversible heart failure, such as which occurs during cardiac surgery or in cases of septic or cardiogenic shock, on the basis of its positive inotropic action.

[7] The drug is also commonly used in the hospital setting as a pharmacologic stress testing agent to identify coronary artery disease.

Primary side effects include those commonly seen for β1 active sympathomimetics, such as hypertension, angina, arrhythmia, and tachycardia.

Dobutamine is a direct-acting agent whose primary activity results from stimulation of the β1-adrenoceptors of the heart, increasing contractility and cardiac output.