title: A comparison of the effect of rocuronium and vecuronium on heart rate during gynaecological laparoscopy.
abstract: The effect on intra-operative heart rate of two nondepolarising muscle relaxants, rocuronium and vecuronium, was compared in 116 fit out-patients undergoing gynaecological laparoscopic procedures. Both groups received an anaesthetic technique which differed only in the choice of muscle relaxant. Intra-operatively it was noted that patients given rocuronium (20 mg) had significantly fewer episodes of bradycardia (heart rate < 50 beat.min-1) than patients given vecuronium 4 mg (p < 0.05). Profound bradycardias (heart rate < 30 beat.min-1) did not occur in any of the patients in the rocuronium study group, whereas 5% of patients receiving vecuronium had a period of transient asystole. We conclude that, at the doses stated, rocuronium results in significantly fewer episodes of bradycardia than vecuronium when used as a muscle relaxant for laparoscopic gynaecological procedures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, Western Infirmary, Dumbarton Road, Glasgow G11 6NT, UK.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: I J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Broome
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000732:Androstanols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003864:Depression, Chemical; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D010535:Laparoscopy; D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077123:Rocuronium; D014673:Vecuronium Bromide / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000732:Androstanols; D003473:Neuromuscular Nondepolarizing Agents; D014673:Vecuronium Bromide; D000077123:Rocuronium