title: Dose beta-blockade affect surgical performance? a double blind trial of oxprenolol.
abstract: Heart rates of surgeons rise when they carry out operations and this rise is abolished by beta-blockade. In an assessment of the effect of oxprenolol on surgical performance a group of surgeons took double blind either oxprenolol 40 mg or a matching placebo. Oxprenolol abolished increases in heart rate (P < 0.001) but had no effect on a profile of performance test assessing tremor, suturing accuracy and co-ordination. Reaction time of the surgeons was significantly slowed by oxprenolol (P < 0.01). Using a self-administered visual analogue scoring system the surgeons recorded no subjective changes in mood after beta-blockade and were surprisingly unaware of whether they had taken oxprenolol or placebo.
mesh_terms: D001288:Attention / Q000187:drug effects; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D013502:General Surgery; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D010096:Oxprenolol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010919:Placebos; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative; D013537:Sutures
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; D010096:Oxprenolol