[Suxamethonium. Haemodynamic study in man excepting general anaesthesia (author's transl)]

Haemodynamic effects of suxamethonium IV 1 mg/kg were studied in eight comatose, mechanicaly ventilated, normotensive patients. Drug interference, including atropine was avoid. A transitory but significant increase in heart rate and cardiac output (CO) was observed, respectively + 27 p. cent (p less than 0.02) and + 29 p. cent (p less than 0.025) at the first minute. Right auricular, pulmonary capillary wedge, and pulmonary arterial pressures increased significantly from the first to the eighth minute. Mean arterial blood pressure unsignificantly increased (+ 5 p. cent) wether systemic arterial resistance decreased from - 11 p. cent (p less than 0.02) at the first minute. No arrhythmia occurred throughout the study. In the conditions of this study suxamethonium induces an early and transient increase in CO. Both tachycardia and increased venous return can explain the rise in CO. Such an increase could be due to the transient abdominal hyperpressure, and can be one of the factors which explain the poor tolerance of suxamethonium in patients with heart failure.