A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MEPHENTERMINE AND PHENYLEPHRINE IN THE TREATMENT OF HYPOTENSION DURING SPINAL ANAESTHESIA FOR CAESAREAN SECTION

Abstract

Purpose: To compare the effects of mephentermine and phenylephrine in maintaining arterial blood pressure in patients undergoing caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia who develop hypotension. Materials and method- This randomized study consisted of 42 parturient women who underwent elective caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia and developed hypotension during the operation. The patients were equally divided into 2 groups: Group I & Group II. Participants in Group I received intravenous bolus of Phenylephrine 100 mcg whereas participants in Group II received intravenous bolus of Mephentermine 6 mg. Mean heart rate, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic (DBP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were measured at baseline and then at 2 minutes intervals till 10th minute and thereafter at every 5 minutes till 30th minute and then at 45th, 60th, 75th, 90th and 120th minute. Results- Mean heart rate, SBP, DBP and MAP were comparable at baseline in both the groups. The reduction in mean heart rate after administration of a vasopressor was statistically signicant in Group I in comparison with Group II. Both Mephentermine & Phenylephrine were efcacious in maintaining the SBP, DBP and MAP within the normal range i.e., 20% of the baseline value and no statistically signicant difference was observed between them. Both the vasopressors, Mephentermine and Phenylephrine have s Conclusion- imilar efcacy in maintaining post spinal maternal hypotension during caesarean section, although Phenylephrine causes reduction in heart rate which can be advantageous in patients with undesirable tachycardia. In addition to this, both the groups had no signicant adverse effects.