Dopamine is a chemical drug that is a neurotransmitter and is often used to treat various types of shock, including toxic shock, cardiogenic shock, hemorrhagic shock, or infectious shock. Shock is most often associated with renal insufficiency or reduced cardiac output and decreased peripheral vascular resistance. Dobutamine is used to increase blood pressure to increase blood supply to vital organs in patients who are actively expanding and replenishing their blood volume, but whose blood pressure is still low.