Clonidine for major vascular surgery in hypertensive patients: a double-blind, controlled, randomized study

The utility of clonidine for hypertensive patients presenting for major vascular procedures remains debatable. Twenty-one hypertensive patients presenting for aortic surgery were given clonidine (n = 11) or placebo (n = 10) in a double-blind, randomized manner. Clonidine was administered 6 micrograms/kg per os 120 min before induction of anesthesia and 3 micrograms/kg intravenously (i.v.) over 60 min from aortic declamping to skin closure. Anesthesia was induced with alfentanil 20 micrograms/kg, midazolam, and atracurium and maintained with nitrous oxide 70%, an alfentanil infusion (0.25 microgram.kg-1. min-1), and isoflurane. Anesthetic requirements, circulatory variables, interventions, and isoproterenol dose-response curves (pre- and postoperatively) were determined. Plasma concentrations of clonidine, alfentanil, and vasoactive hormones were measured. When the clonidine group was compared with the placebo group, (a) isoflurane, alfentanil, and midazolam requirements were reduced by 38%, 42%, and 41%, respectively (P = 0.04, 0.03, 0.0002, respectively); (b) supplemental circulatory and anesthetic adjustments were reduced by 51% (P = 0.0006); (c) interventions with vasopressors were not significantly increased (placebo: two; clonidine: five); (d) systolic and mean arterial pressures and heart rate were reduced; (e) increases in norepinephrine, epinephrine, and plasma renin activity were suppressed, whereas vasopressin surge was attenuated; and (f) chronotropic response to isoproterenol was unaffected. Clonidine was effective in reducing anesthetic requirements and in improving circulatory stability in hypertensive patients presenting for major vascular procedures.