Management of blood pressure instability in severe tetanus: the use of clonidine.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effectiveness of clonidine in the management of unstable blood pressure in severe tetanus.

DESIGN

Patients with severe tetanus and blood pressure instability were treated with clonidine and the results were compared with those of other patients with severe tetanus who were not treated with clonidine.

SETTING

Intensive care unit of the Chest Hospital of Athens.

PATIENTS: We studied 27 patients with severe tetanus and autonomic dysfunction.

INTERVENTIONS: Patients were managed according to a protocol.

MEASUREMENTS AND

RESULTS

Clonidine was administered until blood pressure stability was the fully restored and the dose was then gradually reduced. Five patients from the nonclonidine group and 2 from the clonidine group died.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that clonidine is effective in the treatment of blood pressure instability in severe tetanus.