The Use of Cardiotonic Drugs in Neonates

There is a distinct lack of age-appropriate cardiotonic drugs, and adult derived formulations continue to be administered, without evidence-based knowledge on their dosing, safety, efficacy, and long-term effects. Dopamine remains the most commonly studied and prescribed cardiotonic drug in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), but evidence of its effect on endorgan perfusion still remains. Unlike adult and pediatric critical care, there are significant gaps in our knowledge on the use of various cardiotonic drugs in various forms of circulatory failure in the NICU.