The haemodynamic effects of flunitrazepam in anaesthetized patients with valvular or coronary artery lesions.

The Haemodynamic effects of flunitrazepam (FLU) 1.25 mg X m-2 administered intravenously were studied in 18 anaesthetized cardiac patients suffering from isolated mitral (MIT, n = 6), aortic (AOR, n = 6) or coronary (COR, n = 6) lesions. A placebo group of 18 clinically similar patients was used to assess the stability of the cardiovascular parameters under the conditions of the study. Heart rate, systemic arterial pressure, cardiac output and central venous pressure changes were measured 2, 5, 8 and 12 min after FLU or saline injection and compared with reference values collected before the start of the haemodynamic test. In the FLU group, the cardiovascular state of all the patients developed following the same pattern and the greatest differences were observed at 12 min post-injection. These differences, expressed as a percentage of the initial values were (* P less than 0.05; ** P less than 0.001; ns = non-significant): mean systemic arterial pressure: COR, -18% (**);MIT, -13% (*); AOR, -23% (**); heart rate: COR, 0% (ns); MIT, -10% (*); AOR, -12% (*); cardiac output: COR, -15% (**); MIT, -13% (*); AOR, -16% (**); stroke volume: COR, -12%(*);MIT, 0% (ns);AOR,-3%(ns). This shows some differences concerning the SV and heart rate changes in the valvular and COR patients. As compared to the data from the literature, most of the haemodynamic effects of FLU seem relatively independent of the initial level of consciousness.