Relationship between age and blood pressure reduction during induction of general anesthesia with remimazolam: an...

The inhibitory effect of remimazolam on the blood pressure may be less than propofol, but its inhibitory effect may differ between different age groups. We studied 50 patients to assess if there was a correlation between the patient's age and the decrease in the blood pressure after induction of anesthesia with remimazolam at 6 mg/kg/h (1 mg/kg/h after the loss of consciousness), with fentanyl 2 µg/kg and remifentanil 0.25 µg/kg/min. Relation between age and the lowest mean arterial pressure was examined, and the incidence of hypotension (defined as the lowest mean arterial pressure ≦ 60 mmHg) was compared between patients ≧ 70 yr-old and those < 70 yr-old. There was a significant correlation between the age and percentage decrease in mean arterial pressure (r: 0.65; P <  < 0.0001). There was also significant correlation between the age and the lowest mean arterial pressure (r: 0.49; P = 0.0003). The incidence of hypotension was significantly higher in patients ≧ 70 yr-old (15 of 24 patients (63%)) than in those < 70 yr-old (6 of 26 patients (23%)) (P = 0.009). Elderly patients were more likely to experience a greater decrease than younger in the blood pressure during induction of anesthesia with remimazolam.