pancuronium and Flushing

Specific airways conductance (s.Gaw) was measured using the forced airflow oscillation method to study the effects of tubocurarine, pancuronium and atracurium. Twenty-seven patients undergoing elective surgery were randomly allocated to receive one of the three drugs. A statistically significant mean change in s.Gaw from the baseline values for each drug was apparent only after administration of atracurium (at 6 min) (P less than 005). Some individuals given atracurium or tubocurarine either showed large decreases in s.Gaw or cutaneous flushing, but only one patient showed both. Pharmacological release of histamine may be confined to individual tissues in these instances.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Atracurium; Bronchi; Female; Flushing; Humans; Isoquinolines; Male; Middle Aged; Muscle Tonus; Neuromuscular Blocking Agents; Pancuronium; Pulmonary Ventilation; Time Factors; Tubocurarine