Midazolam/Sufentanil vs Etomidate/Sufentanil for the Induction of Anesthesia in Patients with Cardiac Disease

Park, Jong Cook; Ham, Byung Moon

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Induction of general anesthesia in patients with cardiac disease must guarantee hemodynamic stability and should result in a satisfactory anesthetic level. The purpose of this study was to analyze the hemodynamic effects of midazolam/sufentanil in comparison with etomidate/sufentanil used for induction of anesthesia in patients with cardiac disease.
METHODS
All the patients (n = 30) in the study were about to undergo cardiac surgery and were divided into the midazolam group (n = 15) and etomidate group (n = 15). The induction dose of midazolam was 0.18 mg/kg, etomidate 0.3 mg/kg, vecuronium 0.15 mg/kg, sufentanil 3 microgram/kg, hemodynamics and oxygenation were recorded in the awake state (pre-induction), and 10 minutes after intubation (post-intubation).
RESULTS
The etomidate group had a shorter time of anesthetic induction, and some myoclonic movement (13%) was observed. After intubation, reductions of heart rate (13.8%), mean arterial pressure (18.4%), cardiac index (14.8%), left ventricular stroke work index (9.7 - 38.5%), oxygen delivery index (7.43%), oxygen consumption index (10.3%), and Qs/Qt (25.6%), and an increase in central venous pressure (0 - 50%) were observed in both groups. Decreases in right ventricular stroke work index and mean arterial pressure were observed in the midazolam group, but no change in right ventricular stroke work index and a decrease in mean arterial pressure was observed in the etomidate group. In the midazolam group the values of right ventricular stroke work index and mean arterial pressure were significantly lower than in the etomidate group. The heart rate of the midazolam group in patients with CABG were significantly lower than in the etomidate group.
CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study shows that etomidate was found to be as reliable and effective an agent for induction as midazolam.