title: Anesthesiological problems related to the use of beta-sympathomimetic drugs for chronic and acute tocolysis.
abstract: Pregnant women treated with intravenous beta-sympathomimetics for acute or chronic tocolysis often show cardiovascular side-effects, mainly tachyarrhythmias, and electrolyte disorders, mainly hypokaliemia. Both create a potential hazard at the moment of induction of general anesthesia. For these patients one will use drugs exhibiting minimal hemodynamic side-effects and no oxytocic activity. Barbiturates as induction agent, and intravenous analgesics for maintenance of anesthesia after extraction of the neonate represent the safest solution. A short delay of ten minutes between administration of the beta-mimetic and induction of anesthesia avoids the coincidence of the maximal cardiovascular effects of the beta-mimetic with the stress of induction, and allows adequate preoxygenation of the patient.
mesh_terms: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D000773:Anesthesia, Obstetrical; D000777:Anesthetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D002585:Cesarean Section; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014599:Uterus / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D000777:Anesthetics