The effect of intravenous nitroglycerine on blood pressure during intubation

Abstract

Objectives: Hypertension is one of the most frequent complication during laryngoscopy and intubation; thus in the premedication or induction stages, many drugs have been used to control this hypertension. Nitroglycerine is one of the drugs thought to be effective and the purpose of this study is to appraise this deliberation.

Methods: 150 patients of 20-50 years of age were enrolled in this randomized double blind clinical trial. They were randomly divided into two group, one received 2 microg/kg nitroglycerine while the other group did not received any drug. Blood pressure was checked in 3 different stages and compared.

Results: In both groups, pre and post intubation systolic pressure had a significant difference; whereas this relation could not be found for the diastolic pressure. These variables did not have a statistically significant relation prior to intubation; whilst after intubation, a significant relation was elicited.

Conclusion: Injection of 2 microg/kg nitroglycerine immediately after anesthetic induction is effective in preventing the unwanted increase in the blood pressure, and as a result, complications following this response in patients with ischemic heart disease would be reduced.