Bradycardia and hypotension refractory to ephedrine and atropine treatment: severe autonomic dysfunction with abnormal heart rate variability.

Diabetic patients with autonomic dysfunction are potentially poor risks for anesthesia and particular care is needed during and after surgery. We here report a 48-year-old male patient with diabetes mellitus who suffered from intraoperative hypotension and bradycardia which did not respond to ephedrine and atropine treatment and eventuated in cardiac arrest. A heart rate variability study confirmed the diagnosis of autonomic dysfunction after the event. Possible predisposing mechanisms and anesthetic considerations are discussed.