Revue médicale de Liège
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Revue médicale de Liège · Feb 2014
Review[Alpha-2 adrenoreceptor agonists in anaesthesia and intensive care medicine].
Alpha-2 adrenoreceptor agonists have long been used in the treatment of arterial hypertension. However, in that indication they have progressively been replaced by antihypertensive drugs with a more interesting therapeutic profile. Nonetheless, pharmacological activation of alpha-2 adrenoreceptors leads to a variety of clinical effects that are of major interest for anaesthesia and intensive care practice. ⋯ Furthermore, alpha-2 adrenoreceptor agonists are potent adjuncts for locoregional anaesthesia. In this article, we will summarize the most frequent applications of alpha-2 adrenoreceptor agonists in anaesthesia and intensive care medicine. We will focus on the clinical data available for the two most representative molecules of this pharmacological class: clonidine and dexmedetomidine.