The effectiveness of oral clonidine as a sedative/anxiolytic and as a drug to blunt the hemodynamic responses to laryngoscopy.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the effects of oral clonidine premedication on sedative, anxiolytic, and hemodynamic responses during the immediate preoperative period, laryngoscopy/intubation, and postanesthetic recovery.


METHODS
Randomized double-blind assignment to one of four treatment groups (clonidine 0.1 mg, clonidine 0.2 mg, triazolam 0.25 mg, or placebo); n = 10 per group.


METHODS
Inpatient surgery in a university-staffed tertiary center.


METHODS
Forty ASA physical status I and II adults of both sexes scheduled for a variety of procedures requiring general anesthesia.


METHODS
Anxiety and sedation scored on ordinal scale at time of treatment and 90 minutes later, just prior to anesthetic induction. Standardized induction protocol with automated hemodynamic monitoring at 1-minute intervals and a 45-second laryngoscopy to ensure a vigorous stress response.


RESULTS
Triazolam and both doses of clonidine increased sedation at 90 minutes both absolutely and compared with a placebo. Clonidine 0.2 mg decreased anxiety absolutely at 90 minutes but no more than a placebo. Clonidine 0.2 mg decreased systolic, mean, and diastolic blood pressures (BPs) but not heart rate (HR) at 90 minutes. Clonidine 0.2 mg also blunted the increase in systolic blood pressure (SP) [but not in diastolic blood pressure (DP) or HR] that accompanied laryngoscopy. There were no treatment differences in postanesthetic hemodynamics or duration of recovery.


CONCLUSIONS
Oral clonidine 0.2 mg was effective in reducing the level of behavioral and hemodynamic responses preoperatively and in blunting systolic hypertension produced by prolonged laryngoscopy.
Laurito
C E
CE
Department of Anesthesiology, Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60616.
Baughman
V L
VL
Becker
G L
GL
DeSilva
T W
TW
Carranza
C J
CJ
D000328:Adult; D000762:Anesthesia Recovery Period; D000769:Anesthesia, Inhalation; D001007:Anxiety / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D003000:Clonidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010919:Placebos; D011229:Preanesthetic Medication; D013997:Time Factors; D014229:Triazolam / Q000627:therapeutic use
D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D010919:Placebos; D014229:Triazolam; D003000:Clonidine