title: Cardiac dysrhythmia following reversal of neuromuscular blocking agents in geriatric patients.
abstract: Ninety-three patients 65 years of age or older were studied to determine the incidence of dysrhymia following administration of 1 of 2 cholinesterase inhibitors, neostigmine or pyridostigmine. The ECG was then continuously monitored for 90 minutes. Neostigmine was associated with a higher incidence of dysrhythmia than was pyridostigmine. Neostigmine administered to patients with pre-existing coronary artery disease and/or conduction defects and to patients with hypertension was associated with a significantly higher incidence of dysrhythmia than was pyridostigmine when administered to patients with the same conditions. The incidence of dysrhythmia in patients who received a halogenated anesthetic was 5 times greater after neostigmine than after pyridostigmine.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000758:Anesthesia; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000139:chemically induced*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D009388:Neostigmine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011729:Pyridostigmine Bromide / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D009388:Neostigmine; D011729:Pyridostigmine Bromide