Ketanserin and the cardiovascular system. 2. A study of its effects in patients undergoing myocardial...

A double-blind study was performed on 19 patients undergoing myocardial revascularisation. Routine anaesthetic and cardiopulmonary bypass procedures were used. Nine patients received ketanserin by continuous infusion and ten received an equal infusion rate of placebo. Arterial blood pressure was controlled with sodium nitroprusside. The ketanserin group had a significantly higher cardiac index and a lower peripheral vascular resistance during the first 2 hours after bypass.