A vasoactive is a pharmaceutical agent that has the effect of either increasing or decreasing blood pressure

Blood pressure

Blood pressure is the pressure exerted by circulating blood upon the walls of blood vessels, and is one of the principal vital signs. When used without further specification, "blood pressure" usually refers to the arterial pressure of the systemic circulation. During each heartbeat, BP varies...

 and/or heart rate

Heart rate

Heart rate is the number of heartbeats per unit of time, typically expressed as beats per minute . Heart rate can vary as the body's need to absorb oxygen and excrete carbon dioxide changes, such as during exercise or sleep....

. Typically used in a setting where a patient has the blood pressure and heart rate monitored constantly, vasoactive drug therapy is typically "titrated" to achieve a desired effect or range of values as determined by competent clinicians.

Vasoactive drugs are typically administered using a volumetric infusion device (IV Pump). This category of drug

Drug

A drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function. There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in drug control law, government regulations, medicine, and colloquial usage.In pharmacology, a...

s require close observation of the patient with near immediate intervention required by the clinicians in charge of the patient's care.