The heart surgery forum
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The heart surgery forum · Dec 2013
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyComparison of remifentanil and low-dose fentanyl for fast-track cardiac anesthesia: a prospective randomized study.
Different anesthetic techniques have been used for fast tracking in cardiac anesthesia. Remifentanil, with its unique pharmacokinetic profile, could be an ideal drug for fast tracking. Possible limitations of remifentanil are rapid onset of postoperative pain after discontinuation of the drug infusion, which may increase the risk of an ischemic event. We conducted this randomized study to compare the efficacy of remifentanil versus low doses of fentanyl in fast-track cardiac anesthesia. It has been hypothesized that remifentanil would provide a safe anesthesia with no impact on myocardial function and with positive effects on extubation time and mobilization. ⋯ Remifentanil fast-track anesthesia for cardiac patients has no negative impact on myocardial function. Both remifentanil and low-dose fentanyl are equally effective and safe for fast-track cardiac anesthesia. The study did not highlight any statistical superiority of remifentanil anesthesia over low-dose fentanyl anesthesia.