European journal of anaesthesiology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Effect of pre-operative metoprolol on cardiovascular and catecholamine response and bleeding during hysterectomy.
The effect of a pre-operative dose of metoprolol on the catecholamine and cardiovascular responses to tracheal intubation and surgery, cardiac complications and intra-operative blood loss, were studied in patients undergoing elective hysterectomy during general anaesthesia. The study was double-blind and placebo controlled. The patients received metoprolol 100 mg or placebo orally 1-25 h before anaesthesia. ⋯ The incidence of arrhythmias was less after metoprolol. The mean operative blood loss was greater in the placebo group (486 +/- 170 ml (SEM) compared to 231 +/- 43 ml (SEM) after metoprolol). We conclude that oral premedication with metoprolol attenuates the hypertensive response to tracheal intubation and reduces both arrhythmias and operative blood loss.