Comparison of nitroglycerin versus lignocaine spray to attenuate haemodynamic changes in elective surgical patients undergoing direct laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation : a prospective randomised study

Abstract EN

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the effects of nitroglycerin (NTG) versus lignocaine spray in blunting the pressor response during direct laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation.

Methods: This study was conducted between January and June 2018 in the Department of Anesthesiology, Teerthankar Mahaveer Medical College, Moradabad, India.

A total of 90 elective surgical patients of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status grades I or II were divided into three groups, comprising two treatment groups and one control group.

Patients in the treatment groups received either one puff (1.5 mg/kg) of lignocaine 10% spray or one puff (400 μg) of NTG spray in the oropharynx one minute prior to the induction of anaesthesia.

Haemodynamic variables and mean rate pressure product at baseline and one, two, three, four and five minutes post-induction were compared.

Results: There was a significant reduction in mean heart rate at 3–5 minutes in both treatment groups compared to the control group (P <0.050), as well as lower increases in mean arterial pressure at 1–3 minutes (P <0.050).

However, at 2–4 minutes, there was a significantly greater decrease in mean systolic blood pressure in the NTG group compared to both the lignocaine and control groups (P <0.050).

Moreover, a greater decrease in mean rate pressure product response at 1–5 minutes was observed in the NTG group compared to the lignocaine and control groups (P = 0.001).

Conclusion: The NTG spray was more effective than lignocaine in attenuating blood pressure increases and rate pressure product during elective laryngoscopy and intubation.