ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Endotracheal fiberoptic bronchoscope intubation causes significant hemodynamic changes such as hypertension and tachycardia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of alfentanil on cardiovascular response to endotracheal fiberoptic bronchoscope intubation in the patients anesthetized with N2O-O2-enflurane. METHODS: Forty seven healthy patients undergoing elective surgery requiring orotracheal intubation were randomly allocated to three groups and received either normal saline (control group), 8microgram/kg alfentanil (ALF8 group), or 4microgram/kg alfentanil (ALF4 group). Orotracheal intubation using a fiberoptic bronchoscope was carried out. Systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial blood pressures, and heart rates were monitored noninvasively and recorded at one-minute intervals. RESULTS: The percent change in mean arterial blood pressure from preanesthetic mean arterial blood pressure, was attenuated (P < 0.05 compared with the control group) in the ALF8 group 1 minute after intubation, but percent changes in mean arterial blood pressures from preanesthetic mean arterial blood pressure levels did not alter in the ALF4 or ALF8 groups between 1 and 5 minutes after intubation. Percent changes in heart rates from preanesthetic heart rates did not in either the ALF4 or ALF8 groups during the 5 minutes following intubation. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that alfentanil (8microgram/kg) attenuates blood pressure response to fiberoptic bronchoscopic intubation in patients anesthetized with N2O-O2-enflurane, but that it does not influence heart rate response.