INDICATED FOR THE IN-HOSPITAL, SHORT-TERM (UP TO 48 HOURS) MANAGEMENT OF SEVERE HYPERTENSION WHEN RAPID, BUT QUICKLY REVERSIBLE, EMERGENCY REDUCTION OF BLOOD PRESSURE IS CLINICALLY INDICATED, INCLUDING MALIGNANT HYPERTENSION WITH DETERIORATING END-ORGAN FUNCTION.
FENOLDOPAM IS A RAPID-ACTING VASODILATOR. IT IS AN AGONIST FOR D1-LIKE DOPAMINE RECEPTORS AND BINDS WITH MODERATE AFFINITY TO ?2-ADRENOCEPTORS. IT HAS NO SIGNIFICANT AFFINITY FOR D2-LIKE RECEPTORS, ?1 AND ? ADRENOCEPTORS, 5HT1 AND 5HT2 RECEPTORS, OR MUSCARINIC RECEPTORS. FENOLDOPAM IS A RACEMIC MIXTURE WITH THE R-ISOMER RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY. FENOLDOPAM HAD NO AGONIST EFFECT ON PRESYNAPTIC D2-LIKE DOPAMINE RECEPTORS, OR ?- OR ?;-ADRENOCEPTORS, NOR DID IT AFFECT ANGIOTENSIN-CONVERTING ENZYME ACTIVITY. FENOLDOPAM MAY INCREASE NOREPINEPHRINE PLASMA CONCENTRATION.