[Hypokalemic effect of salbutamol administered intravenously in the preoperative period]

In 8 healthy patients (ASA I-II) there was analyzed the effect of salbutamol over serum levels of potassium, glucose, insulin, AMPc and GMPc. Also were determined the arterial blood pressure and heart rate. The drug was administered intravenously, as bronchodilator, during the preoperative period. There was a significant decrease in kaliemia (p less than 0.001 immediately after receiving the salbutamol infusion and p less than 0.05 at 60 min). Their plasma potassium levels dropped from 4.03 +/- 25 to 3.45 +/- 0.16 mEq.l-1. The plasma levels of glucose and insulin increased with a significance of p less than 0.001 post salbutamol perfusion. There were no changes in the plasmatic AMPc and GMPc. Heart rate increased from 67 +/- 10.8 to 80.5 +/- 13.7 (p less than 0.01) post perfusion, returning afterwards to their basal values. Arterial blood pressure was unmodified.