A study of different doses of atracurium to prevent suxamethonium-induced fasciculations.

Abstract

Pretreatment with 3 different doses of atracurium (0.035 mg/kg, 0.05 mg/kg, 0.07 mg/kg) was investigated in order to determine the optimal dose that would prevent suxamethonium-induced fasciculations with minimal side effects to the patient and without significant antagonism of suxamethonium block. A total of 80 patients was studied. There were 20 patients in each of three atracurium groups while a fourth group of 20 patients served as control. Atracurium reduced the incidence of fasciculations from 100% observed in the control to between 0 and 40% in the atracurium groups. The optimal dose of atracurium appears to be 0.05 mg/kg, using a pretreatment interval of 3 minutes. Routine pretreatment of all patients is not mandatory, but it is recommended whenever the side-effects of suxamethonium are particularly undesirable, as in ocular laceration, raised intracranial pressure, full stomach and in very muscular patients.

• Authors: C E Famewo
• Journal: West African journal of medicine (West Afr J Med) 1990 Jul-Sep Vol. 9 Issue 3 Pg. 214-9 ISSN: 0189-160X [Print] Nigeria
• PMID: 2271436 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)

Chemical References

• Atracurium
• Succinylcholine

Topics

• Adult
• Atracurium (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Fasciculation (chemically induced, drug therapy, epidemiology)
• Female
• Humans
• Incidence
• Male
• Premedication (standards)
• Succinylcholine (adverse effects)