Anesthesia for elective cardioversion: a comparison of thiopentone and propofol

Cardioversion is still a trend of therapy for cardiac dysrhythmias. With the application of new intravenous anesthetics, cardioversion can be performed safely and effectively with rapid onset of and quicker recovery from anesthesia. We compared the anesthetic effects of a new synthetic agent, propofol, with thiopentone which was mostly used in the past.

Twenty four ASA class II to III adult patients scheduled for elective cardioversion in the coronary care unit were included in this study. All patients were given fentanyl (2 micrograms/kg, i.v.) three min before induction and were randomly assigned to receive either thiopentone 1.5 mg/kg (group 1) or propofol 1 mg/kg (group 2) for induction of anesthesia. Supplementary oxygenation was administered throughout.

Both drugs could provide satisfactory anesthesia for elective cardioversion without major complications. Recovery time was shorter with propofol (p < 0.05). Comparing with previous reports, a higher incidence of apnea and prolonged sedation were noted in this study. This might be due to the additive effect of thiopentone or propofol with fentanyl.

Both anesthetics were suitable for elective cardioversion with negligible side effects in hemodynamically stable patients.