Heartbeats, increased heart rate, angina, chest pain, palpitation, and elevations in blood pressure might occur (usually dose-related). Caution in pre-existing hypertension. Rarely, dobutamine has caused ventricular tachycardia. Precipitous decreases in blood pressure described occasionally. Hypersensitivity reactions, including skin rash, fever, eosinophilia, and bronchospasm, reported occasionally. Like other drugs with β~2~-agonist activity, dobutamine may produce slight decreases in serum potassium concentrations (hypokalemia may occur rarely). Phlebitis at the site of I.V. infusion may occur. Before administration of dobutamine, hypovolemia should be corrected. Dobutamine increases AV conduction (patients with atrial fibrillation are at risk of developing a rapid ventricular response). Therefore, the drug should be used with extreme caution following MI. Use with extreme caution in patients taking MAO inhibitors (prolonged hypertension may result). Injection forms may contain sulfites (can cause allergic-type reactions, including anaphylaxis and life-threatening or less severe asthmatic episodes, in certain susceptible individuals). Dobutamine is contraindicated in idiopathic hypertropic subaortic stenosis or known hypersensitivity to the drug or any ingredient of the formulation. Some manufacturers state that dobutamine increases cardiac output and systemic pressure in pediatric patients of all age groups. Substantial hypotension associated with dobutamine therapy may occur more frequently in geriatric patients.