Anaesthesia for cardioversion: Thiopentone with and without atropine premedication

Abstract

Patients undergoing elective cardioversion under light thiopentone anaesthesia were randomly allocated to premedication with either atropine given i.v. or i.m. or saline given i.v. There were 50 patients in each group. Arterial pressure, heart rate and e.c.g. were recorded before, during and after anaesthesia. Comparison of the results showed that both i.v. and i.m. atropine premedication can be considered safe and probably even advantageous in cardioversion anaesthesia. The success rate of conversion was slightly greater in the patients premedicated with atropine although the difference was not statistically significant. The prevalence of ventricular extrasystoles after the electric countershock was less after atropine premedication. Of the side effects observed during anaesthesia, apnoea was noted more commonly in patients premedicated with atropine, whereas laryngeal irritation occurred only in the placebo group. © 1974 John Sherratt and Son Ltd.