Stability of blood pressure and heart rate during intraocular epinephrine irrigation.

We studied the effect of intraocular epinephrine irrigation on arterial blood pressure and heart rate in 28 elderly patients who underwent extracapsular extractions with or without intraocular lens implantation. In this study, surgery was performed under local anesthesia and the electrocardiograph, heart rate, and arterial blood pressure, measured using a pressure transducer, were monitored continuously. We conclude that both patients with and without hypertension incurred no additional risk of significant interval changes of either arterial blood pressure or heart rate during intraocular epinephrine irrigation at a concentration which maintained pupil dilatation.