Comparing the Effect of Labetalol versus Morphine on Controlling Blood Pressure and Pulse Rate during Emergence from Anesthesia after Craniotomy

Emergence from anesthesia is associated with sympathetic stimulation, increase in pulse and blood pressure. There are different methods, but the most appropriate method should be selected regarding the differences in nationalities. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of morphine and labetalol in controlling blood pressure and pulse during emergence from anesthesia in brain tumors craniotomy.

This study was conducted at Al-Zahra Hospital of Isfahan - Iran on 60 patients suffering from brain tumor candidated for craniotomy and randomly classified into two groups of 30. One group received labetalol with dose of 10 mg over 10 min from 45 min before finishing dressing and then 0.75 mg/min until 35 min later; another group received morphine in bolus dose of 0.1 mg/kg during 2–3 min. Blood pressure and pulse were measured every 10 min over 40 min. After operation, they were measured every 5 min over 15 min.

The morphine group had higher systolic (133.3 ± 18.8) and diastolic blood pressure (87.1 ± 13.6) (P = 0.021 and 0.028, respectively) at extubation and during 45 min before dressing, the diastolic blood pressure was significantly higher in compares with labetalol (75.3 ± 10.5) (P < 0.05). And extubation time was significantly shorter in labetalol group (7.7 ± 0.84) (P < 0.001). Pulse had no significant difference in both groups. In labetalol group, blood pressure and pulse fluctuations were more stable.

Administration of labetalol 45 min before finishing dressing can significantly control blood pressure during emergence from anesthesia and also shorten the time of extubation during emergence in patients undergoing craniotomy.