Evaluation Of Effectiveness Of Dexmedetomidine On Acute Haemodynamic Response In Patients Undergoing Modified Electroconvulsive Therapy – A Randomised Control Trial

Abstract

With administration of electroconvulsive therapy, blood pressure & heart rate increase secondary to rise in plasma adrenaline and nor adrenaline levels. Deaths reported to have occurred with electroconvulsive therapy are most often due to acute hemodynamic response to electroconvulsive therapy. Various drugs are being used to attenuate these responses. This study was designed to know the effectiveness of dexmedetomidine on acute haemodynamic response in patients undergoing modified electroconvulsive therapy. Objectives To know the effectiveness of dexmedetomidine on acute haemodynamic response in patients undergoing modified electroconvulsive therapy. Methodology This study was conducted in the Department of Anaesthesiology, KLE’S Dr. Prabhakar Kore Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Nehru Nagar, Belagavi, on 60 patients, undergoing modified electroconvulsive therapy between January 2014 to December 2014. It was conducted after the approval by the ethical committee and written informed consent was taken from the participant. ASA I and II patients in the age group of 18 and 50 years were included in the study. They were then randomly divided into two groups of 30 patients each: Group C (Control) and Group D (Dexmedetomidine) using a computer generated table. Patients in Group C received normal saline infusion over 10 minutes, while patients in Group D received dexmedetomidine (1 microgram per kg) infusion over 10 minutes prior to electroconvulsive therapy. Results The baseline heart rates were similar in the two groups. After ECT the heart rate increased in both groups. The peak heart rate in the control group after ECT was 137.53 while it was 93.30 in the study group. Though there was increase in heart rates in both the groups but the rise in study group was less as compared to control group which was statistically as well as clinically significant. Conclusion Pre-treatment with Dexmedetomidine significantly attenuates sympathetically mediated hemodynamic responses to Electro Convulsive Therapy.