Nitroglycerine transdermal patch, is it effective in blocking the pressor response to tracheal intubation and noxious stimulation in hypertensive patients?

ABSTRACT

Fourty hypertensive patients ASA II scheduled for elective surgical procedures requiring endotracheal intubation were randomly allocated into two groups 20 patients each. Nitroglycerine transdermal patch was applied to the patients of the first group [Nitroglycerine group] and was not applied to the patients of the other group [control group]. The anaesthetic technique was standerised for patients of both groups. A significant rise in blood pressure occured after tracheal intubation and following skin incision in the control group, while no rise in blood pressure recorded in the other group in which patients pretreated with nitroglycerine transdermal patch.In both groups, either serum cortisol concentration and serum glucose level increased significantly after tracheal intubation and skin incision. We conclude that nitroglycerine transdermal patch is effective in blocking the pressor response to tracheal intubation and noxious stimulation in hypertensive patients but not effective in minimizing the rise of stress hormones released with these situations