Clinical pharmacology of atracurium given in high dose. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • The safety and efficacy of atracurium 0.8 mg kg-1 was determined in healthy patients with particular attention to the speed of onset of blockade, and to changes in haemodynamic variables. Atracurium 0.8 mg kg-1 had a shorter onset time than atracurium 0.5 mg kg-1, and satisfactory intubating conditions were achieved earlier. "Priming" produced no significant improvement in onset time or intubating conditions. Onset times were significantly shorter with nitrous oxide-opioid anaesthesia than following thiopentone alone. Although a 0.8-mg kg-1 bolus resulted in a significant reduction in mean arterial pressure to 75% of control and was associated with a significant increase in plasma histamine concentrations, this response could be prevented by injecting the drug over 75 s. "Priming" or a 30-s injection produced no haemodynamic protection. The protection achieved by pretreatment with anti-histamines was incomplete: mean arterial pressure decreased to 83% of control.

publication date

  • August 1, 1986

Research

keywords

  • Isoquinolines
  • Neuromuscular Blocking Agents

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0022549523

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1093/bja/58.8.834

PubMed ID

  • 3755347

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 58

issue

  • 8