Cervico-thoracic epidural anaesthesia blunts pancuronium-induced increase in heart rate in humans

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of cervico-thoracic epidural anaesthesia upon pancuronium-induced tachycardia in surgical patients. In the control (no blockade) group (n = 8) and the lumbar epidural group (n = 8), pancuronium produced significant increases in heart rate (P < 0.01 and P < 0.01, respectively) and no significant changes in mean arterial pressure. In the cervico-thoracic epidural group (n = 8), no increase in heart rate and a significant decrease in mean arterial pressure were seen following pancuronium. The lack of an increase in heart rate following pancuronium with cervico-thoracic epidural anaesthesia might be due to cardiac sympathetic denervation. The authors concluded that tachycardia after pancuronium administration was attenuated by cervico-thoracic epidural anaesthesia in humans and that the pancuronium-induced tachycardia seemed to be a cardiac sympathomimetic effect.