Cardiovascular effects of pipecuronium bromide, experimental and clinical study

ABSTRACT

Pipecuronium bromide, a new steroidal non-depolarizing blocking agent, has a duration of action similar to that of pancronium, but unlike pancronium appears to be devoid of cardiovascular effects. The purpose of this work is to study the effect of pipecuronium bromide on the cardiovascular system. This experimental study on anesthetized dogs showed that pipecuronium bromide within the therapeutic range caused no significant change in mean systemic blood pressure, heart rate, QRS complex, and ST segment of ECG record. Larger doses of the drug, however, resulted in mild bradycardia which was abolished by atropine. No appreciable change was observed in the force of myocardial contraction when pipecuronium bromide was perfused in the isolated rabbits heart. Using the noninvasive cardiodynamic data processing system, no significant change was found in the various cardiovascular parameters in 20 patients receiving pipecuronium bromide under nitrous oxide and halothane anesthesia. Pipecuronium bromide is thus recommended for the production of muscular relaxation for relatively long operations, when it is desirable to avoid changes in the cardiovascular system