Effects of Dopamine on Renal Function in Patients with Cirrhosis

The effects of dopamine on renal function were studied in 10 patients with cirrhosis and various degrees of impairment of renal function. Dopamine caused a consistent increase in effective renal plasma flow but little change in glomerular filtration rate or sodium and water excretion. The hemodynamic change is attributed to a direct effect on the renal vasculature, resulting in reduction in both preglomerular and postglomerular resistance. Unlike other drugs, dopamine partially corrects the renal hemodynamic disturbance in cirrhosis, although its role as a therapeutic agent is limited.