The use of esmolol to attenuate the haemodynamic response when extubating patients following cardiac surgery--a double-blind controlled study.

We have assessed the cardiovascular changes associated with emergence from anaesthesia, reversal of neuromuscular blockade and extubation in a group of 14 patients immediately after coronary artery bypass graft surgery had been completed. Patients were randomly allocated to receive either esmolol 500 micrograms.kg-1 over 1 min followed by 100 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 or placebo starting prior to reversal. Significant hypertension and tachycardia occurred in the placebo group, whilst these changes were prevented by the administration of esmolol.