Læknablaðið : fylgirit - 01.09.1978, Side 161

vill gætu dregið úr histaminlosi. Atropin væri ráðlegt að gefa, það gæti dregið
úr munnvatnsrennsli, sem alloft er lýst og upphafið ''vagolytiska'' verkun althesins,
þó sumir telji reyndar að einmitt þess vegna sé óþarft að gefa atropin. Vegna
blóðþrýstingslækkandi áhrifa althesins ber að gefa það varlega, eða ekki hjart-
veikum sjúklingum og sjúklingum með of háan blóðþrýsting. Af sömu ástæðu þyrfti
að nota það varlega ef um útblædda, eða "hypovolemiska" sjúklinga væri að fást.
Summary
In this article the medical litterature pertaining to the drug althesin is re-
viewed and thereafter the author describes her personal experience with its use.
Althesin was used as an induction agent in 100 cases and found to be satisfactory.
When used as the sole anaesthetic for relativelv short procedures (supplemented
only by nitrous oxide in oxygen 2/1) the incidence of disturbing movements was
rather high. As the drug is short acting and broken down rapidly it might be
wise to give it in infusion to achieve a more even effect, especially for opera-
tions lasting longer than 10-15 minutes. Ihe fall in blood pressure is too
great to advocate its use for cardiac and hypertensive patients. Premedication
is to be recommended probably of the analgetic and antihistaminic groups. As
there is reported to be rather an ominious incidence of anaphylaxis in connection
with its use one must warn against this danger and probably exclude asthmatics
and other people with history of allergy. One patient who was anesthetized twice
with althesin complained of numbness all over the body on both occasions. This
complication has not been described before. In this studv, however, no serious
side effects were seen.
Heimildir:
1. Bradford EMW, Miller DC., Campbell D, Baird WLM: CT1341:Interaction with some
anaesthetic agents. Br J Anaesth 43(10):940-6, Oct 71.
2. Broadley JN, Taylor PA: An assessment of Althesin for the induction of
anaesthesia in cardiac surgical uatients: a canparison with thiopentone.
Br J Anaesth 46(9):687-91, Sep 74.
3. Bryce-Smith R: Anaesthesia with hydroxvdione (Presuren). Br J Anaesth 31
(6):262-8, Jun 59.
4. Carson IW, Alexander JP, Hewitt JC, Dundee JW: Clinical studies of induction
agents. XLI: venous sequelae following the use of the steroid anaesthetic
agent, Althesin. Br J Anaesth 44(12):1311-3, Dec 72.
5. Carson IW, Graham J, Dundee JW: Clinical studies of induction agents. XLIII:
recovery from Althesin - a comparative study with thiopentone and methohexi-
tone. Br J Anaesth 47(3):358-64, Mar 75.
6. Clarke RSJ, Dundee JW, Doggart JR, Lavary T: The effects of single and inter-
mittent administration of Althesin and other intravenous anesthetic agents
on liver function. Anesth Analg (Cleve) 53(3):461-8, May-Jun 74.
7. Clarke RSJ: Dundee JW, Garrett RT, McArdle GK, Sutton JA: Adverse reactions
to intravenous anaesthetics. A survey of 100 reports. Br J Anaesth 47(5).
575-85, May 75.
8. Clarke RSJ, Montgomery SJ, Dundee JW, Bovill JG: Clinical studies of induction
agents. XXXIX:CT1341, a new steroid anaesthetic. Br J Anaesth 43(10):947-52,
Oct 71.
9. Coleman AJ, Downing JW, Leary WP, Moyes DG, Styles M: The immediate cardio-
vascular effects of Althesin (Glaxo CT1341), a steroid induction agent, and
thiopentone in man. Anaesthesia 27:373-8, Oct 72.