ABSTRACT
We compared the effects of oral clonidine and gabapentin as premedicant in obtunding hemodynamic response to laryngoscopy and intubation in normotensive patients undergoing elective surgery. A total of 100 patients of either sex enrolled in the study were randomly divided into two groups of 50 each. Group A patients received oral clonidine 200 microg and Group B patients received oral gabapentin 900 mg, 90 min prior to induction of anesthesia. Both groups were matched for age, sex weight and intubation time. Anxiety score and sedation scores before induction were significantly better in Group A as compared with Group B. Heart rate rise was obtunded in Group A except at 1 min, as compared with Group B in which tachycardia persisted even at 3 and 5 min following intubation. Mean arterial pressure was maintained below baseline at all times in Group A as compared with Group B in which significant rise [+7.55%, P < 0.001] was seen at 1 min after intubation. Oral clonidine provided good attenuation of hemodynamic response to laryngoscopy and intubation as compared with oral gabapentin.