A comparative study between dexmedetomidine, clonidine and magnesium sulfate in attenuating hemodynamic response to laryngoscopy and intubation-a randomised study

The stress responses to laryngoscopy comprising of elevation in heart rate and rise in systolic and diastolic pressure are well known. The potential for life threatening complications associated with these responses is also well documented. Therefore, it has become very much necessary to discover a drug which can abolish this response. The present study is designed to study the effectiveness of dexmedetomidine (D), clonidine (C) and magnesium sulfate (M) in attenuating the hemodynamic response to laryngoscopy in patients undergoing surgeries.

This study was carried out on 120 ASA grade I & II patients aged 18 to 55 years scheduled for elective surgical procedures under general anesthesia lasting for more than 2 hours. Patients were divided randomly into 3 groups, group D received 1mcg/kg of dexmedetomidine, group C received 1 mcg/kg of clonidine and group M received 30 mg/kg of magnesium sulfate. Data were entered in excel sheet and analysed by SPSS software. Qualitative data were expressed by number and percentage. Quantitative data were presented by mean +/-SD.

Comparison of three groups reveals that hemodynamic variables were similar within the groups at baseline and at 5min before intubation while there were significant difference between them starting from just after the intubation, 30 sec after intubation then 1 min, 2min, 3min, 4min, 5 min, 10min after intubation.

Dexmedetomidine (1mcg/kg) in comparison to magnesium sulfate (30mg/kg) and clonidine (1 mcg/kg) is far more effective in blunting the hemodynamic response to laryngoscopy.