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Published on: April 25, 2012
Alfentanil increases intracranial pressure when intracranial compliance is low
1Department of Anaesthetics, General Infirmary, Leeds.
Abstract:
Intracranial pressure increases following the administration of alfentanil 1 mg are reported in five patients with suspected normal pressure hydrocephalus who were undergoing infusion of saline into a lateral ventricle to measure cerebrospinal fluid outflow resistance. The increase in intracranial pressure was accompanied by a fall in mean arterial pressure. These observations show that, when the intracranial compliance is reduced, alfentanil can cause considerable increases in intracranial pressure and decreases in cerebral perfusion pressure.
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