title: Prevention of suxamethonium-induced changes in serum potassium concentration by hexafluorenium. Is their combined use justified?
abstract: Sixty patients, none of whom was suffering from renal failure, received neurolept anaesthesia. They were divided into six groups of 10 patients each. Groups I and IV, II and V, and III and VI were given suxamethonium 0.2, 0.6 and 1.0 mg kg-1 respectively. Groups IV-VI were pretreated with hexafluorenium 0.3 mg kg-1. The serum potassium concentration decreased significantly after the induction of anaesthesia and also following the administration of hexafluorenium. Neither suxamethonium 0.2 mg nor 0.6 mg kg-1 with or without hexafluorenium restored the potassium concentration to the control value. Suxamethonium 1.0 mg kg-1 alone caused the serum potassium to increase to values greater than control; hexafluorenium attenuated this effect. The combination of hexafluorenium and suxamethonium may be of benefit in patients who are anephric or are in chronic renal failure.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005207:Fasciculation / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D005449:Fluorenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006584:Hexamethonium Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009458:Neuroleptanalgesia; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood*; D013390:Succinylcholine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005449:Fluorenes; D006584:Hexamethonium Compounds; D013390:Succinylcholine; D011188:Potassium