Esmolol Mitigation of the Cardiovascular Responses to Endotracheal Intubation and Reaction to Skin Incision

Abstract

This study was carried out in the Departments of ENT and Neurosurgery, Assiut University Hospital to study the effects of esmolol as intravenous infusion on both cardiovascular and endocrine responses to laryngoscopy, intubation and skin incision. These were represented by the effects on systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure, heart rate and ECG changes. Also serum prolactin, lactate and cortisol were used as the indicators of metabolic and endocrinal responses to stress.

This study was conducted on forty healthy adult patients scheduled for elective neurosurgical or ear operations. Premedication by oral diazepam 0.15 mgjkg 1-2 hours before surgery, then esmolol HCl infusion was started 5 minutes before induction of anaesthesia by thiopental (5-7 mg/kg) and relaxation by suxamethonium 1-1.5 mgjkg and maintenance of anaesthesia by halothane 1%, nitrous oxide and oxygen.