Clinical use of etomidate, influence on blood pressure and heart rate. Comparison with thiopentone and methohexital.

This study deals with blood pressure and heart rate measurements during the use of etomidate after premedication; the injection of etomidate is always preceded by 0.10 mg of fentanyl. Etomidate is compared with thiopentone and methohexitone. There appears to be no gross difference between the drugs as far as the blood pressure is concerned: it is decreased by 15-20%. The influence on the heart rate is typical for each drug: whereas thiopentone causes a rise of 23%, and methohexitone of nearly 40%, the rate remains constant in the etomidate series.