Potentiation of action of sodium nitroprusside by adding alpha-2 adrenergic agonists clonidine in induced hypotension

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted on 30 patients of ASA class I or II, they were divided into two groups. The first group consisted of 15 patients receiving sodium nitroprusside alone as hypotensive drug during general anesthesia, the second group consisted of 15 patients receiving a mixture of sodium nitroprusside and clonidine as hypotensive drug during general anesthesia. Clinical and laboratory results showed that clonidine nitroprusside mixture [CNP] is as effective as sodium nitroprusside [SNP] for induction of hypotension during general anesthesia. In addition, the mixture of clonidine- sodium nitroprusside has the advantage of decreasing the dose requirement of SNP with more hemodynamic stability during and after infusion together with reduced potential of cyanide toxicity