ABSTRACT
BACKGROUD: Laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation often provoke an undesirable increase in blood pressure and heart rate. This study was done to examine the blunting effect of nicardipine on the adverse hemodynamic changes following a direct laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation. METHODS: Thirty ASA physical status 1 adult patients were allocated into two groups; the control group (n = 15) and nicardipine group (n = 15). In the control group, normal saline, and in the nicardipine group, 20microgram/kg of nicardipine were given 2 minutes before endotracheal intubation. Blood pressure and heart rate were measured after arrival at the operating room, before endotracheal intubation and after intubation under anesthesia (enflurane-N2O-O2). RESULTS: Systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressure were significantly lower in the nicardipine group than in the control group before and after intubation (P < 0.05). The heart rate showed significantly higher values in the nicardipine group than in the control group before and after intubation (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with no pretreatment before the IV induction of general anesthesia, the peak increase in blood pressure after a laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation is blunted by nicardipine. However, the increase in heart rate is not blunted by nicardipine.