A comparative assessment of intravenous norepinephrine and mephentermine during spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section

Background: The present study compared intravenous norepinephrine and mephentermine for maintenance of blood pressure during spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section in known patients. Materials & Methods: The present study was conducted on 62 females planed for elective surgery. Patients were divided into 2 groups of 31 each. Group I received bolus intravenous norepinephrine 8µg and group II received mephentermine 6mg for the maintenance of intraoperative systolic blood pressure. HR, SBP and DBP were recorded at every 2 min interval till 20 min and thereafter at every 5 min interval till the completion of surgery. Complications were also recorded. Results: There was fall in SBP from baseline till 15 minutes in both groups then started increasing till 60 minutes. There was fall in DBP from baseline till 20 minutes in both groups then started increasing till 60 minutes. The difference was non- significant (P>0.05). There were 6 cases in group I and 7 in group II having nausea/vomiting, shivering was seen 5 in group I and 6 in group II, headache 4 in group I and 3 in group II and hypertension 3 in group I and 4 in group II. The difference was non- significant (P>0.05). Conclusion: Authors found that intravenous norepinephrine was better than mephentermine in maintaining blood pressure.