Management of blood pressure instability in severe tetanus: the use of clonidine.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effectiveness of clonidine in the management of unstable blood pressure in severe tetanus.


METHODS
Patients with severe tetanus and blood pressure instability were treated with clonidine and the results were compared with those of other patients with severe tetanus who were not treated with clonidine.


METHODS
Intensive care unit of the Chest Hospital of Athens.


METHODS
We studied 27 patients with severe tetanus and autonomic dysfunction.


METHODS
Patients were managed according to a protocol.


RESULTS
Clonidine was administered until blood pressure stability was the fully restored and the dose was then gradually reduced. Five patients from the nonclonidine group and 2 from the clonidine group died.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that clonidine is effective in the treatment of blood pressure instability in severe tetanus.
Gregorakos
L
L
Department of Respiratory Insufficiency, Chest Hospital of Athens, Greece.
Kerezoudi
E
E
Dimopoulos
G
G
Thomaides
T
T
D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001342:Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D003000:Clonidine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D015996:Survival Rate; D013742:Tetanus / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality
D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D003000:Clonidine