Comparison of dexmedetomidine, lidocaine, and their combination in attenuation of cardiovascular and catecholamine responses to tracheal extubation and anesthesia emergence in hypertensive patients

Abstract

Introduction This study was carried out to compare the effi cacy of the dexmedetomidine– lidocaine combination with each drug alone in suppressing the hemodynamic and catecholamine stress responses during tracheal extubation and emergence from general anesthesia. Patients and methods Sixty hypertensive patients (ASA II– III), defi ned as systolic blood pressure more than 160 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure more than 95 mmHg, undergoing elective surgery were assigned to a randomized, double-blind approach and were divided into three equal groups: group D received 0.25 mg/kg dexmedetomidine intravenously, group L received 1.0 mg/kg lidocaine intravenously, and group DL received dexmedetomidine plus lidocaine at the same doses intravenously 2 min before tracheal extubation. Changes in heart rate, mean arterial pressure, rate– pressure product, and plasma catecholamine levels were measured before and after tracheal extubation. Results It was found that heart rate, mean arterial pressure, and rate– pressure product following tracheal extubation were lower in patients receiving the dexmedetomidine– lidocaine combination than in those receiving dexmedetomidine or lidocaine as a sole drug. In addition, catecholamine concentrations increased significantly after extubation (P Conclusion Although dexmedetomidine, lidocaine, or their combination failed to suppress the catecholamine responses to tracheal extubation and emergence from anesthesia, the dexmedetomidine– lidocaine combination was superior to each drug alone in attenuating the cardiovascular changes in hypertensive patients.