title: Recovery of atracurium and vecuronium neuromuscular block in the isolated forearm.
abstract: The duration of recovery from neuromuscular block after a 3 x ED90 dose of atracurium or vecuronium is similar in spite of a three-fold difference in their elimination half-lives. We have investigated simultaneous spontaneous recovery from equipotent doses of atracurium and vecuronium in the isolated forearms of volunteers in order to attempt to explain this paradox. Simultaneous administration of the two drugs, one in each of the subject's forearms, allowed direct comparison of recovery to be made against the same plasma concentration of drug. The recovery index of atracurium was found to be significantly longer than that of vecuronium. We suggest that this observation, when considered with the different plasma concentrations after a 3 x ED90 dose, helps to explain the similar duration of action of the two drugs during the recovery phase after a large systemic bolus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthetics, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hood
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Campkin
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Feldman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001279:Atracurium; D005542:Forearm; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009407:Nerve Block; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors; D014673:Vecuronium Bromide
chemical_list: D001279:Atracurium; D014673:Vecuronium Bromide