Introduction: In a prospective randomised trial we studied haemodynamic stability during induction of anaesthesia for CABG surgery in patients receiving remifentanil-propofol or fentanyl-propofol anaesthesia.
Methods: Fifty-four patients scheduled for elective CABG surgery were studied. Anaesthesia was induced with propofol and pancuronium. The patients were randomly assigned to two groups according to the opioid used during the induction. The remifentanil group received 0.5 microg kg(-1) min(-1) of the drug and the fentanyl group received 5 microg kg(-1). We measured blood pressure, central venous pressure and heart rate continuously for 15 min before and 30 min after orotracheal intubation. We also recorded use of rescue medication for maintaining the mean arterial pressure between 65 and 85 mmHg.
Results: After induction of anaesthesia the mean arterial pressure and heart rate decreased significantly in both groups (P<0.05). After orotracheal intubation the mean arterial pressure and heart rate increased significantly in the fentanyl group but not in the remifentanil group (P<0.05). The incidence of hypertonic events necessitating the use of rescue medication was significantly higher in the fentanyl group (P<0.05).
Conclusions: Our results show more stable haemodynamics after induction of anaesthesia in CABG surgery in patients receiving remifentanil-propofol than in patients receiving fentanyl-propofol.