Side effects and changes in pulmonary function after fixed dose precurarization with alcuronium, pancuronium or vecuronium.

On hundred and sixty premedicated patients undergoing surgery were assessed for changes in pulmonary function and signs of partial neuromuscular blockade following precurarization with a fixed dose of alcuronium 2 mg, pancuronium 1 mg or vecuronium 1 mg, and the efficacy of the drugs in the prevention of suxamethonium-associated side effects was compared. In this respect, no differences were observed between the three drugs. Pretreatment with alcuronium and pancuronium was followed by small decreases in pulmonary function. Statistically significant changes were seen only when vecuronium 1 mg was used as the fixed-dose precurarization agent.