Journal of cardiothoracic anesthesia
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J Cardiothorac Anesth · Oct 1990
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialComparison of bretylium and lidocaine in the prevention of ventricular fibrillation after aortic cross-clamp release in coronary artery bypass surgery.
The authors compared bretylium and lidocaine for reducing the incidence and persistence of ventricular fibrillation following aortic cross-clamp release performed during coronary artery bypass surgery. Thirty-three adult patients scheduled for elective bypass surgery were randomly assigned in a double-blind fashion to receive a bolus of bretylium, 10 mg/kg, lidocaine, 2 mg/kg, or saline, in equal volumes prior to the release of the aortic cross-clamp. Coronary artery bypass surgery was conducted using standard cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) procedures with systemic cooling to 24 degrees to 28 degrees C. ⋯ The number of countershocks required to defibrillate, while lower in the bretylium group, did not reach statistical significance. After cardiopulmonary bypass, cardiac output and systemic vascular resistance were comparable. Bretylium warrants further study in this setting.