title: Potentiation of atracurium by pancuronium and d-tubocurarine.
abstract: In 60 adult patients undergoing general surgical procedures, the effect of pancuronium or d-tubocurarine "pretreatment" on the injection of a 0.1 mg X kg-1 bolus of atracurium was measured in two separate studies. In study 1, the patients received either 0.5 mg (approximately 0.007 mg X kg-1) or 1.0 mg (approximately 0.015 mg X kg-1) pancuronium, or placebo (saline) three minutes before the injection of atracurium 0.1 mg X kg-1. In study 2, the patients received 0.05 mg X kg-1 or 0.1 mg X kg-1 d-tubocurarine, or a placebo. The degree of neuromuscular blockade was assessed by evoked mechanogram (adductor pollicis muscle) using supramaximal train-of-four stimulation. Patients receiving pancuronium or d-tubocurarine pretreatment (equal to an ED5-ED15 dose) showed significantly greater inhibition of twitch (ED70-ED80) and train-of-four ratio compared with the placebo groups (ED35-ED40). Pretreatment with the larger dose of d-tubocurarine (0.1 mg X kg-1) was associated with significant neuromuscular blockade. It is concluded that pancuronium and d-tubocurarine pretreatments potentiate the clinical action of 0.1 mg X kg-1 atracurium in man by 35-100 per cent.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000758:Anesthesia; D001279:Atracurium; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009466:Neuromuscular Blocking Agents; D010197:Pancuronium; D011229:Preanesthetic Medication; D014403:Tubocurarine
chemical_list: D009466:Neuromuscular Blocking Agents; D001279:Atracurium; D010197:Pancuronium; D014403:Tubocurarine