Hypotension after lumbar epidural analgesia

Despite preloading with fluid, a fall in the mean arterial pressure was recorded in 66% of patients after standard epidural analgesia. In 83% of patients in whom blood pressure fell, hypotension was classified as moderate or severe. In cases of severe hypotension the dermatome level of the block always surpassed T9. The maximal fall in blood pressure always occurred within the first 25 minutes after administration of the local anaesthetic agent.