Journal of clinical anesthesia
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Norepinephrine (NE) is mostly used to treat severe hypotension. However, NE has potentially adverse vasoconstrictive effects on regional vascular beds of kidney, liver, and gut, with a potential for ensuing organ dysfunction. NE therefore is considered as a last reserve in otherwise refractory hypotension. ⋯ Therefore, the doses of NE needed to maintain or restore blood pressure may be extremely high. Surprisingly, no adverse vasoconstriction with subsequent hypoperfusion occurs during sepsis, despite the high doses of NE administered. Instead, NE rather causes an increase in blood flow and oxygen delivery.
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To investigate the effect of different plasma levels of fentanyl on the concentration of propofol and the Bispectral Index (BIS) required for patients to regain consciousness and orientation following surgery. ⋯ The plasma levels of fentanyl affect the concentrations of propofol required for patients to regain consciousness. The BIS values for wakefulness are unaltered at the different combinations of propofol and fentanyl concentrations. Thus, the BIS appears to be a useful and consistent indicator for level of consciousness during emergence from propofol/fentanyl intravenous anesthesia.
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We present a case of prolonged recovery from mivacurium. Neuromuscular monitoring using acceleromyography was extremely helpful following attempted reversal of residual block in determining when tracheal extubation could be safely performed. If a method of objective estimation of the TOF ratio had not been available, tracheal extubation would have taken place at a time when the train-of-four fade ratio was below 0.40.