Preliminary study of antiarrhythmic effect of phenytoin during endotracheal intubation

ABSTRACT

Preliminary observation of arterial blood pressure, heart rate and cardiac rhythm changes during endotracheal intubation were made in 50 patients divided into three groups. Group [A] the control group and into groups [B] and [C] phenytoin was given as premedication by intravenous and oral route respectively. The procedure of endotracheal intubation caused marked rise in blood pressure and heart rate in all the three groups but in group B and C the fluctuation was significantly less than in the control group, although group B and C were comparable. Endotracheal intubation produced higher percentage of cardiac arrhythmias in the control group [45%] including serious type compared with the other two groups [20%] for each. In group [B] one patient out of ten had ventricular ectopic while none of the patients in group [C] showed such serious arrhythmia. The results of this study can not be overlooked clinically, therefore more experience will be required before its full use can be appreciated