Effect of Clonidine on Cardiovascular Morbidity and Mortality after Noncardiac Surgery

Abstract

The authors conducted a study to determine if prophylactic clonidine reduces the incidence of perioperative myocardial ischemia and postoperative death in noncardiac surgery patients. Patients were administered clonidine or placebo (orally and a patch) the night before surgery and the morning of surgery. The patch (clonidine or placebo) was removed after 4 days. Clonidine reduced the rate of postoperative death up to 2 years; perioperative myocardial ischemia was significantly reduced; and prophylactic clonidine had minimal hemodynamlc effects. © 2005, Westminster Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.