Norepinephrine (medication)
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Clinical data | |
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Trade names | Levarterenol, Levophed, Norepin |
AHFS/Drugs.com | Monograph |
License data |
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Pregnancy category |
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Routes of administration |
Intravenous |
ATC code | C01CA03 (WHO) |
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Pharmacokinetic data | |
Metabolism | Hepatic |
Excretion | Urine (84–96%) |
Identifiers | |
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Synonyms | Noradrenaline (R)-(–)-Norepinephrine l-1-(3,4-Dihydroxyphenyl)-2-aminoethanol |
CAS Number | 51-41-2 ![]() |
PubChem (CID) | 439260 |
IUPHAR/BPS | 505 |
DrugBank | DB00368 ![]() |
ChemSpider | 388394 ![]() |
UNII | X4W3ENH1CV ![]() |
KEGG | D00076 ![]() |
ChEBI | CHEBI:18357 ![]() |
ChEMBL | CHEMBL1437 ![]() |
Chemical and physical data | |
Formula | C8H11NO3 |
Molar mass | 169.18 g/mol |
3D model (Jmol) | Interactive image |
Density | 1.397±0.06 g/cm3 |
Melting point | 217 °C (423 °F) (decomposes) |
Boiling point | 442.6 °C (828.7 °F) ±40.0°C |
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Norepinephrine, also known as noradrenaline, is a medication used to treat people with very low blood pressure. It is manufactured with the same formulation as the hormone and neurotransmitter norepinephrine. It is given intravenously.
At high doses, and especially when it is combined with other vasopressors, it can lead to limb ischemia and limb death.
Medical uses[edit]
Norepinephrine is used mainly as a sympathomimetic drug to treat people in vasodilatory shock states such as septic shock and neurogenic shock, while showing fewer adverse side-effects compared to dopamine treatment.[1]
Mechanism of action[edit]
It acts on both α1 and α2 adrenergic receptors to cause blood vessel contraction. Its effects are often limited to the increasing of blood pressure through agonist activity on α1 and α2 receptors, and causing a resultant increase in peripheral vascular resistance.
Names[edit]
Norepinephrine is the INN while noradrenaline is the BAN.
References[edit]
- ^ De Backer D, Biston P, Devriendt J, Madl C, Chochrad D, Aldecoa C, Brasseur A, Defrance P, Gottignies P, Vincent JL (March 2010). "Comparison of dopamine and norepinephrine in the treatment of shock". The New England Journal of Medicine. 362 (9): 779–89. doi:10.1056/nejmoa0907118. PMID 20200382.