A clinical comparison between etomidate and methohexitone for anaesthetic induction.

A comparison study of the induction properties of the new propylene glycol formulation of etomidate (Hypnomidate) and methohexitone in 80 patients who underwent elective surgical procedures is reported. Both agents gave uniformly good inductions. Methohexitone induction was associated with an elevation in heart rate, but in the etomidate group no cardiovascular instability was seen. In both groups there was a 20-25% incidence of pain on injection, but this was almost exclusively confined to the patients who were injected through the dorsal vein of the hand rather than the antecubital vein. In only 1 patient in the etomidate group did slight involuntary movements occur, but 11 patients (28%) in the methohexitone group showed this side-effect.