[Hemodynamic effects of atracurium in man]

Haemodynamic effects of atracurium at three doses (0.2, 0.6 and 1.2 mg . kg-1) were studied in thirty patients, anaesthetized with thiopentone (5 mg . kg-1) and fentanyl (0.2 microgram . kg-1 . min-1). No cardiovascular side-effects were observed with doses of 0.2 and 0.6 mg . kg-1. However, a 1.2 mg . kg-1 dose induced a transient but significant decrease in mean arterial pressure (-10%; p less than 0.001), maximal in the second minute, associated with an increase in heart rate (+10%; p less than 0.001) and cardiac index (+9%), and a decrease in systemic vascular resistance (-16%; p less than 0.001). The decrease in arterial pressure was constant in every patient and associated with a generalized flush in one of them. Histamine-release induced by atracurium may be one of the possible mechanisms involved in this hypotension.