Esmolol for potentiation of nitroprusside-induced hypotension: Impact on the cardiovascular, adrenergic, and renin-angiotensin systems in man Journal Article


Authors: Edmondson, R.; Del Valle, O.; Shah, N.; Wong, G.; Dwyer, D.; Matarazzo, D.; Thorne, A.; Coffey, C.; Bedford, R.
Article Title: Esmolol for potentiation of nitroprusside-induced hypotension: Impact on the cardiovascular, adrenergic, and renin-angiotensin systems in man
Abstract: Esmolol infusion at rates of 200, 300, and 400 μg·kg-1·min-1 was used to potentiate hypotension (mean arterial pressure = 60 mm Hg) induced with sodium nitroprusside (SNP) in 10 male patients undergoing radical cancer surgery during nitrous oxide-oxygen and fentanyl anesthesia. Heart rate (HR), blood pressure (radial arterial catheter), and plasma levels of renin activity (PRA), norepinephrine (N), epinephrine (E), and dopamine (D) were measured: 1) while patients were awake; 2) after induction of anesthesia (nitrous oxide, 60% in oxygen, fentanyl = 5 μg/kg followed by an infusion at 10 μg·kg-1·hr-1); 3) after surgery had begun; 4) after 20 minutes of SNP-induced hypotension; 5) after 20 minutes of esmolol at each of the above infusion rates; and 6) after the completion of surgery. Compared to awake values, SNP-induced hypotension (mean infusion rate = 3.1 μg·kg-1·min-1 ± 0.6 SE) during surgery resulted in significant (P<0.05) increases in heart rate, PRA, N, and D. Infusion of esmolol resulted in significant (P<0.05) dose-dependent reductions in SNP requirement to maintain MAP = 60 mm Hg. At 200 μg·kg-1·min-1, SNP requirement was 2.1 μg·kg-1·min-1 ± 0.4, at 300 μg·kg-1·min-1, it was 1.0 μg·kg-1·min-1 ± 0.2, and at 400 μg·kg-1·min-1, was 0.5 μg·kg-1·min-1 ± 0.3. Concomitant with the decrease in SNP requirement, there were significant reductions in HR and PRA at all infusion rates of esmolol. At 300 μg·kg-1·min-1, there was a significant (P<0.05) increase in PaCO2 (141 mm Hg ± 18 to 162 mm Hg ± 16, and decrease in N (615 pg/ml ± 105 to 356 pg/ml ± 56) and E (74 pg/ml ± 20 to 57 ± 10). No rebound hypertension was observed at the end of SNP-esmolol infusion, and HR, BP, PaO2, PRA, N, and D levels were not different from awake values. Only E levels elevated postoperatively (460 pg/ml ± 98 vs 63 pg/ml ± 8 preoperatively, P<0.05). The authors conclude that esmolol infusion is a safe and effective pharmacologic means of potentiating SNP-induced hypotension during fentanyl-N2O-O2 anesthesia. Esmolol acts by counteracting many of the adverse endocrine and baroreceptor-mediated effects of SNP, and the short half-lives of esmolol and SNP permit contemporaneous termination of action when they are simultaneously discontinued.
Keywords: adult; clinical article; aged; oxygen; time factors; drug synergism; hypotension; cardiovascular system; blood pressure; catecholamines; intravenous drug administration; propanolamines; middle age; heart rate; renin-angiotensin system; adrenergic system; adrenergic beta-antagonists; renin; nitroprusside sodium; human; male; priority journal; article; esmolol; receptors, adrenergic, beta; nitroprusside; hypotension, controlled; renin angiotensin aldosterone system; anesthetic techniques, hypotensive-nitroprusside; heart, myocardial function; sympathetic nervous system, pharmacology-esmolol; ferricyanides
Journal Title: Anesthesia and Analgesia
Volume: 69
Issue: 2
ISSN: 0003-2999
Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins  
Date Published: 1989-08-01
Start Page: 202
End Page: 206
Language: English
PUBMED: 2569849
PROVIDER: scopus
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Export Date: 14 April 2020 -- Source: Scopus
Citation Impact
MSK Authors
  1. Alisa C Thorne
    16 Thorne
  2. George Y. Wong
    89 Wong
  3. Robert F. Bedford
    39 Bedford