Blood Pressure Stabilizing Effect of Nicardipine at Endotracheal Intubation during Cesarean Section under General Anesthesia

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: General anesthesia for cesarean section is usually maintained at a low dose after induction with using other agents. Many anesthesiologists have experience difficulty in maintaining stable blood pressure at intubation, as compared with nonobstetric anesthesia. We wanted to determine the efficacy of nicardipine for treating rising blood pressure that is related to intubation. METHODS: Twenty one parturient women, who were scheduled for elective cesarean section, were randomly allocated to two groups. Group 1 (n = 10) received no nicardipine and group 2 (n = 11) received nicardipine (7microg/kg) 60 seconds before intubation. The systolic blood pressures, diastolic blood pressures and heart rates were measured at preoperation, after induction of anesthesia, before intubation, immediately after intubation and at 1, 5, 10, 15 and 30 minutes after intubation. RESULTS: The systolic and diastolic blood pressures were lower in group 2 than group 1 at immediate after intubation. Yet the heart rate was higher in group 2 than in group 1 at the same time. CONCLUSIONS: Intravenous nicardipine given 60 seconds before intubation has some benefit from the viewpoint of blood pressure stability at intubation during cesarean section.