[Etomidate versus propofol for anesthesia in ambulatory cardioversion]

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Cardiology

Background:

• Elective cardioversion requires safe and effective anesthesia.
• Short-acting intravenous anesthetics are commonly used for this procedure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare etomidate in lipid emulsion with propofol for anesthesia during outpatient cardioversion.
• To evaluate anesthetic and recovery characteristics of both agents.

Main Methods:

• 40 patients (ASA II/III) undergoing elective cardioversion received either etomidate (0.25 mg/kg) or propofol (1.5 mg/kg) intravenously.
• Hemodynamic parameters, ventilation requirements, and recovery times were monitored.
• Psychomotor tests assessed recovery from anesthesia.

Main Results:

• Both etomidate and propofol caused a transient decrease in blood pressure post-induction.
• Propofol led to a significant decrease in heart rate and increased need for artificial ventilation due to apnoea.
• While immediate emergence was faster with propofol, psychomotor recovery was similar at 15 and 60 minutes post-anesthesia.
• Involuntary muscle movements were observed only with etomidate.

Conclusions:

• Recovery profiles were comparable between etomidate and propofol for outpatient cardioversion.
• The incidence of side effects, such as apnoea with propofol, is a critical consideration in agent selection.