Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthésie
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Comparative Study
Haemodynamic effects of hypotension induced by KRN2391 and nicardipine in isoflurane anaesthetized dogs.
The investigational agent, KRN2391, is a potassium channel opener with a nitrate moiety which possesses potent vasodilatory action. We compared the haemodynamic effect of KRN2391. Induced hypotension with those of nicardipine. ⋯ While both drugs were equally able of inducing hypotension, our results show that the haemodynamic profile of KRN2391- and nicardipine-induced hypotension was a hyperdynamic state expressed by the marked increase in cardiac index with varying changes in right and left ventricular filling pressures, and suggest that KRN2391 may be a useful vasodilator for induced hypotension.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Tranexamic acid reduces blood loss and transfusion in reoperative cardiac surgery.
The objective of this study was to assess the effect of tranexamic acid (TA), a synthetic antifibrinolytic, on blood loss and the need for transfusion of blood products following repeat cardiac valve surgery. ⋯ Tranexamic acid reduced blood loss and the need for blood product transfusion and appears to be an effective treatment for patients undergoing reoperative cardiac valvular surgery.
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Many anaesthetists believe that informed consent for epidural analgesia during labour is inadequate. Patients are perceived to be poorly informed and unable to cope with the information given during labour for informed consent. We reviewed these two hypotheses: A) to define complications for which patients want clear information: B) to quantify the influence of pain, anxiety, opioid premedication, and the importance of level of education, on a patient's level of satisfaction with regard to the consent process: and C) to assess how satisfactory epidural pain relief correlates with satisfaction with the consent process. ⋯ Patients indicated they should be informed of all possible complications associated with epidural analgesia, regardless of severity or risk. In contrast to reports in the literature, non disclosure of serious risks during labour was not acceptable to parturients.
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The adult Bullard laryngoscope (BL) is effective in managing both normal and abnormal airways. Although its name implies use in the adult population, its size does not preclude its use in paediatric patients. Thus we evaluated whether the adult BL could be used in the paediatric population and whether its efficacy was related to age, weight, or height. ⋯ The adult BL appears to be an effective alternative tool in the management of the normal paediatric airway.