Nitroglycerin infusion during general anesthesia resulted in no electrocardiographic changes suggestive of ischemia, compared to 18 cases in patients receiving nitroprusside.
Observational (n=91)
Does nitroglycerin infusion prevent electrocardiographic ischemic changes and improve hemodynamic profiles compared to nitroprusside in anesthetized patients requiring induced hypotension?
Nitroglycerin is an effective hypotensive agent during general anesthesia that avoids the electrocardiographic ischemic changes associated with nitroprusside.
Circulatory variables and arterial partial pressure for oxygen (PaO2) were compared in 91 anesthetized patients who received infusions of either nitroglycerin (TNG) or nitroprusside (SNP) to induce hypotension for the purpose of decreasing intraoperative blood loss. At comparable systolic arterial blood pressures, the mean and diastolic arterial blood pressures were significantly higher with TNG. Electrocardiographic changes suggestive of ischemia occurred in 18 patients who received SNP, whereas none were detected in patients given TNG. Both drugs significantly decreased PaO2 and rate-pressure product, an indirect index of myocardial oxygen consumption. No untoward response to TNG occurred. No clinical evidence of myocardial infarction, renal damage, or cerebral vascular complication was encountered in the postoperative period in any patient. Thus, TNG is an effective hypotensive drug that may prove superior to currently available agents.
N. R. Fahmy (1978) conducted an observational in Anesthetized patients requiring induced hypotension (n=91). Nitroglycerin (TNG) vs. Nitroprusside (SNP) was evaluated on Electrocardiographic changes suggestive of ischemia. Nitroglycerin infusion during general anesthesia resulted in no electrocardiographic changes suggestive of ischemia, compared to 18 cases in patients receiving nitroprusside.