Background: In recent years, the Research of dopamine in renal protection and treatment of septic shock showing a variety of uncertain results, caused a lot of controversy. Objective: Review the research progress of dopamine in renal protection and treatment of septic shock. Content: Around research and application of dopamine on basic and clinical aspects ,we investigate the efficacy and safety of dopamine. Although there are a large number of reseaeches on the renal protective effect of dopamine , but the conclusions are not consistent. Generally speaking, application of dopamine in protecting renal function has no obvious benefit and is not superior to conventional diuretics. In the treatment of septic shock, for the obvious potential side effects , dopamine should be carefully chosen. Trend: In critically ill patients , combined of diuretics and small dose of dopamine may become a hot research topic . More and more evidences on septic treatment support norepinephrine as the first-choice drug but not dopamine.