The efficacy of ketamine for the treatment of postoperative shivering.
BACKGROUND
There are few reports on the utility of ketamine for the prevention of postoperative shivering. We thus established the efficacy of two doses of ketamine compared with meperidine for the treatment of postoperative shivering.


METHODS
This is a prospective, randomized double-blind study involving 90 ASA I-II patients after general anesthesia. Patients with shivering grade 3-4 were allocated to receive either meperidine 25 mg, ketamine 0.5 mg/kg, or ketamine 0.75 mg/kg IV. Shivering and side effects were monitored at set time intervals.


RESULTS
Shivering grades for the first 4 min after treatment were lower in the ketamine groups; however, nystagmus and feeling like "walking in space" was experienced with both doses of ketamine.


CONCLUSIONS
Ketamine 0.5-0.75 mg/kg is more rapid than meperidine (25 mg) for the reduction of postoperative shivering, but the side effect profile may limit its usefulness.
Kose
Emine Arzu
EA
Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Dal
Didem
D
Akinci
Seda Banu
SB
Saricaoglu
Fatma
F
Aypar
Ulku
U
D000328:Adult; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001364:Awareness / Q000187:drug effects; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007649:Ketamine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008614:Meperidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009760:Nystagmus, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects; D009949:Orientation / Q000187:drug effects; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012768:Shivering / Q000187:drug effects*
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D007649:Ketamine; D008614:Meperidine