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When asleep, one is cooler on beta–blockade than on placebo
Author(s) -
Fagher B.,
Magnússon J.,
Monti M.,
Thulin T.,
Werner O.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
acta anaesthesiologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1399-6576
pISSN - 0001-5172
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-6576.1988.tb02698.x
Subject(s) - medicine , metoprolol , anesthesia , placebo , blockade , propranolol , abdominal surgery , surgery , receptor , alternative medicine , pathology
The effect of beta 1 –adrenergic blockade on body temperature was studied during general anaesthesia by means of a thermistor in an indwelling pulmonary arterial catheter. Metoprolol (200 mg daily) or placebo was given double–blind preoperatively for at least 2 weeks to 27 hypertensive patients undergoing abdominal surgery. A significantly greater temperature fall was observed in the metoprolol group compared with the placebo group. Heat production in the rectus abdominis muscle, measured by direct microcalorimetry, was significantly lower after metoprolol. The hypothermic effect of beta–adrenergic blockade during anaesthesia deserves special attention.