title: Intravenous infusions of nifedipine: an alternative for the prevention of hypertension in eye surgery under local anesthesia.
abstract: In order to control critical rises of blood pressure during the peri-operative period in elderly hypertensive patients, the effectiveness of a continuous intravenous infusion of nifedipine was studied. In a double blind study, patients (n = 60) who underwent eye surgery under local anesthesia were divided randomly into three groups. Patients who were found to have 200 > SBP > 160 and 120 > DBP > 90 mmHg as the previous day of surgery, as well as patients who did not receive any anti-hypertensive treatment regimen during the last week before surgery, were selected. Five min before performing local anesthesia, a continuous infusion of nifedipine at two different rates of 0.65 mg/h and 1.25 mg/h, was administered in groups A and B respectively, whereas group C received a placebo. SBP, DBP and HR were recorded every 5 min. for an hour. Statistically significant differences among the profiles of the three groups were found. The control group had a higher SBP/DBP. None of the groups, showed significant changes in HR. In conclusion, the intravenous infusion of nifedipine in a dose 1.25 mg/h, seems to control the hypertensive phases of blood pressure, without dropping to any unduly low level, risking undesirable side effects in elderly hypertensive patients during perioperative period.
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmiatrio of Athens, Anesthesiology Department, Greece.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nastou
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sarros
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nastos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saleh
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000772:Anesthesia, Local / Q000009:adverse effects; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D009543:Nifedipine