The cardiac rate and rhythm in infants during induction of anesthesia with cyclopropane: Atropine versus scopolamine as preanesthetic medication

Abstract

Summary<ul><li>1.A study of electrocardiographic abnormalities during induction of anesthesia with cyclopropane was made on 48 infants from less than 1 month to 6 months of age. Twenty-five of them received atropine as preanesthetic medication, and 23 received scopolamine; the dose of each drug was 0.15 mg.</li><li>2.Eight of the atropine-treated group and 18 of the scopolamine-treated group developed arrhythmias during induction of anesthesia. The difference is highly significant (p<01).</li><li>3.All patients had a decrease in pulse rate during the induction of anesthesia. Those treated with scopolamine, as contrasted with those treated with atropine, had an additional average pulse decrease of 23 beats per minute. In the patients who developed arrhythmias as contrasted with those with no arrhythmias an additional average pulse decrease of 25 beats per minute was found.</li><li>4.Older and heavier babies tended to be more prone to develop arrhythmias with this dose of atropine than did younger and smaller babies. The difference is highly significant (p<01).</li><li>5.Protection against arrhythmias provided by atropine is usually dissipated by 75 minutes after the administration of the drug.</li><li>6.Atropine is recommended for preanesthetic medication in infants under 6 months of age when cyclopropane is to be the anesthetic agent.</li></ul>