Q: What is the pathological basis behind "Big No No" for renal dose dopamine in Acute Kidney Injury (AKI)?


Answer: 

In normal individual renal-dose dopamine (1-2 mcg/kg per minute) increases the renal blood flow but in patients with AKI it is shown to increase the renovascular resistance and consequently to decrease the renal blood flow. So low-dose dopamine is not only ineffective in AKI, it may actually harm the patient.



Reference:

Lauschke A, Teichgräber UK, Frei U, Eckardt KU. 'Low-dose' dopamine worsens renal perfusion in patients with acute renal failure. Kidney Int 2006; 69:1669.