[Effect of dexmedetomidine on anesthetic requirements in cardiovascular surgery].
BACKGROUND
An anesthetic-sparing effect of dexmedetomidine has been shown in several studies. We investigated the effect of dexmedetomidine on anesthetic requirements in 24 patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery.


METHODS
Patients were randomly divided into two groups in which continuous infusion of dexmedetomidine was started before induction of anesthesia (DEX group, n = 12) or when closing the sternum (control group, n = 12). Dexmedetomidine was administered intravenously at 0.7 microg x kg(-1) x hr(-1) after a bolus infusion at 6.0 microg x kg(-1) x hr(-1) for 10 min. All patients received total intravenous anesthesia with propofol and fentanyl.


RESULTS
Mean effect-site concentration of propofol was significantly lower in the DEX group than in the control group (1.9 +/- 0.3 microg x ml(-1) vs 2.5 +/- 0.8 microg x ml(-1)). Mean effect-site concentration of fentanyl in the DEX group was significantly lower than that in the control group (1.93 +/- 0.41 ng x ml(-1) vs 2.67 +/- 0.70 ng x ml(-1).


CONCLUSIONS
The combined use of dexmedetomidine decreases anesthetic requirements in cardiovascular surgery.
Kanda
Hirotsugu
H
Department of Anesthesia, National Obihiro Hospital, Obihiro 080-8518.
Kunisawa
Takayuki
T
Kurosawa
Atsushi
A
Nagashima
Michio
M
Suzuki
Akihiro
A
Takahata
Osamu
O
Iwasaki
Hiroshi
H
D000368:Aged; D000771:Anesthesia, Intravenous; D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013504:Cardiovascular Surgical Procedures; D020927:Dexmedetomidine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005283:Fentanyl / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D015742:Propofol / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D020927:Dexmedetomidine; D005283:Fentanyl; D015742:Propofol