CERVICOTHORACIC EPIDURAL-ANESTHESIA BLUNTS PANCURONIUM-INDUCED INCREASE IN HEART-RATE IN HUMANS

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of cervico-thoracic e pidural anaesthesia upon pancuronium-induced tachvcardia in surgical p atients. In the control (no blockade) group (n=8) and the lumbar epidu ral group (n=8), pancuronium produced significant increases in heart r ate (P<0.01 and P<0.01, respectively) and no significant changes in me an arterial pressure. In the cervico-thoracic epidural group (n=8), no increase in heart rate and a significant decrease in mean arterial pr essure were seen following pancuronium. The lack of an increase in hea rt rate following pancuronium with cervico-thoracic epidural anaesthes ia might be due to cardiac sympathetic denervation. The authors conclu ded that tachycardia after pancuronium administration was attenuated b y cervico-thoracic epidural anaesthesia in humans and that the pancuro nium-induced tachycardia seemed to be a cardiac sympathomimetic effect .