Effects of nadolol on arrhythmias during laparoscopy performed under general anaesthesia

Cardiac arrhythmias are a well recognized complication of anaesthesia for laparoscopy. The effect of nadolol, given by mouth 12 h before operation, was compared with placebo on arrhythmias in 86 females undergoing laparoscopy. All types of arrhythmia were documented; there was a 97% incidence in the placebo group, but in the nadolol group there was a smaller incidence of supraventricular tachycardia, ventricular ectopics and atrioventricular dissociation (P less than 0.01). There was no significant difference in the incidence of sinus bradycardia. Nadolol may be recommended as a safe agent to be given by mouth before laparoscopy to reduce the frequency of cardiac arrhythmias during anaesthesia.