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Published on: January 13, 2018
The effect of nitrous oxide inhalation on the hypotensive response to propofol: a randomized controlled trial
Chizuko Yokoe1, Hiroshi Hanamoto2, Aiji Boku2
1Clinical Fellow, Department of Dental Anesthesiology, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
Objective:
Decrease in arterial blood pressure is a prominent adverse reaction during propofol (Disoprivan; AstraZeneca K.K., Osaka, Japan) sedation. The purpose of this prospective randomized study was to explore the effects of nitrous oxide (N2O) on the hypotensive response during propofol sedation.
Study Design:
Twenty-six healthy volunteers received intravenous sedation with propofol alone (group P, n=13) or a combined technique using 20% N2O and propofol (group N+P, n=13). Propofol was administered by a target-controlled infusion system to attain and maintain a plasma propofol concentration of 1.5μg/mL. Hemodynamic and autonomic parameters were measured.
Results:
Mean arterial pressure decreased in both groups, the hypotensive response in group N+P being significantly smaller than in group P. Reduction in the low-frequency power of systolic blood pressure variability, indicative of sympathetic nervous activity, was also smaller in group N+P than in group P.
Conclusions:
Addition of N2O to propofol sedation can attenuate the hypotensive effect of propofol.
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