title: Administration of vecuronium, atracurium and pancuronium in divided doses: effect on onset and duration of action.
abstract: The time to onset of neuromuscular block (as assessed by single twitch stimulation at 0.1 Hz) and the duration to 25% recovery of twitch height were measured after administration of vecuronium 0.1 mg kg-1, atracurium 0.5 mg kg-1 or pancuronium 0.1 mg kg-1, administered either as a single bolus or in divided doses, 10% being administered 4 min prior to the remaining 90%. The patients were anaesthetized with thiopentone, nitrous oxide in oxygen and i.v. fentanyl. There was no significant difference between the single- and divided-dose groups, either in the onset times (2.8 and 2.9 min for vecuronium, 2.7 and 2.4 min for atracurium and 3.3 min each for pancuronium for single- and divided-dose groups, respectively) or the duration to 25% recovery of twitch height (35 and 29 min for vecuronium, 45 and 39 min for atracurium and 87 and 93 min for pancuronium for single- and divided-dose groups, respectively).
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Anaesthesia, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Brady
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Mirakhur
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Clarke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001279:Atracurium / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000187:drug effects*; D010197:Pancuronium / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013997:Time Factors; D014673:Vecuronium Bromide / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D001279:Atracurium; D014673:Vecuronium Bromide; D010197:Pancuronium