Effect of ketanserin on sodium nitroprusside requirements, arterial pressure control and heart rate following coronary artery bypass surgery.

University Department of Anaesthesia, Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

In a double-blind, placebo controlled study ketanserin, a serotonin S2 antagonist, was administered to hypertensive patients who had undergone coronary artery bypass surgery. Patients were allocated randomly to receive placebo or ketanserin at an infusion rate of 0.05, 1 or 2 mg kg-1 h-1. Sodium nitroprusside was used as escape medication. Ketanserin reduced the nitroprusside requirements and improved the quality of arterial pressure control in all groups, and this was significant in the low- and high-dose groups. There was a significant decrease in heart rate in the low- and high-dose groups compared with placebo, and no effect in patients who received the medium dose of ketanserin. Ketanserin may be a useful treatment for hypertension following coronary artery surgery as it reduced arterial pressure without reflex tachycardia.

PMID: 2786422 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]