Main use Active ingredient Manufacturer
Heart failure Dopexamine hydrochloride Cephalon (UK) Limited

How does it work?
Dopacard infusion contains the active ingredient dopexamine hydrochloride, which is a type of medicine called a sympathomimetic stimulant.

Dopexamine hydrochloride stimulates beta2 adrenergic receptors and dopamine receptors which are found in the kidney, gut, brain and heart. This causes the blood vessels in these areas to widen, allowing for an increase in the blood flow and therefore the amount of oxygen supplied to these organs.

Dopexamine hydrochloride binds to dopamine receptors located in the kidney, gut, brain and heart, causing the blood vessels in these areas to widen. This allows an increase in the blood flow and therefore the amount of oxygen supplied to these organs.

Dopexamine also binds to beta-receptors in the heart which causes an increase in the rate and strength at which the heart beats. This allows blood to be pumped effectively around the body in conditions such as heart failure, where the pumping ability of the heart is reduced.

Dopacard infusion is used for the short-term treatment of heart failure after heart surgery or if symptoms of heart failure worsen in people who already have chronic heart failure.

What is it used for?
Heart failure.
Warning!
While having treatment with this medicine you will need to have regular blood tests to monitor the levels of salts such as potassium and sodium in your blood, as well as blood sugar levels.
Use with caution in
Angina pectoris.
Diabetes.
Heart disease caused by inadequate blood flow to the heart (ischaemic heart disease).
High blood sugar levels (hyperglycaemia).
Low blood potassium levels (hypokalaemia).
Low volume of circulating blood (hypovolaemia).
The period immediately following a heart attack (acute phase - myocardial infarction).
Very low blood pressure (severe hypotension).
Not to be used in
Heart disease characterised by thickening of the internal heart muscle and a blockage inside the heart (hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy)
Narrowing of the main artery of the body (aortic stenosis).
People who have taken monoamine-oxidase inhibitor antidepressants (MAOIs) in the last 14 days.
Reduced platelet count in the blood (thrombocytopenia).
Tumour of the adrenal gland (phaeochromocytoma).
Children.
This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy.

If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.

The safety of this medicine for use during pregnancy or breastfeeding has not been established. It should not be used by pregnant or breastfeeding women. Seek further medical advice from your doctor.
Side effects
Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Just because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.

Nausea and vomiting.
Increased heart rate (tachycardia).
Slower than normal heart beat (bradycardia).
Chest pain (angina).
Tremor.
Headache
Shaking, usually of the hands (tremor)
Sweating
Abnormal heart beats (arrhythmias).
Changes in blood pressure.
Difficulty in breathing (dyspnoea).
Heart attack.
The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the medicine's manufacturer.

For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.

How can this medicine affect other medicines?
It is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicinesyou are already taking, including those bought without a prescription andherbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine. Similarly,check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medicines whiletaking this one, to make sure that thecombination is safe.

If this medicine is taken within 14 days of taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor antidepressant (MAOI, eg tranylcypramine, phenelzine, isocarboxazid) there may be a risk of a dangerous rise in blood pressure (hypertensive crisis). For this reason Dopacard infusion should not be given to people who have taken an MAOI in the previous 14 days.

Other medicines containing the same active ingredient
There are currently no other medicines available in the UK that contain dopexamine.