The Effect of Labetalol or Remifentanil on Blood Pressure and Heart Rate after Laryngoscopy and Intubation

The main aim of this study was to compare the effect of labetalol and remifentanil on blood pressure and heart rate after laryngoscopy and intubation in comparison with the control group.
In a clinical trial study, 105 patients scheduled for surgery were randomly assigned to three groups receiving 1 mg/kg of labetalol, 1 µg/kg remifentanil, or the same amount of normal saline. Hemodynamic parameters were measured and compared.
Findings: The incidence of bradycardia in groups receiving labetalol, remifentanil and control was 28.6%, 22.9% and 5.7%, respectively, and the difference between three groups was significant (P = 0.040). In contrast, the incidence of tachycardia in the three groups was 2.9%, 5.7% and 28.6%, respectively, and significant difference was observed between the groups (P = 0.002). The prevalence of hypotension in the three groups was 22.9%, 14.3% and 2.9%, respectively, and there were significant differences among them (P = 0.047). The prevalence of hypertension in the three groups was 6.3%, 18.8% and 34.3%, respectively, and the difference between the groups was significant (P = 0.001).
Based on the results of the present study, intravenous administration of 1 mg/kg labetalol in patients under laryngoscopy tends to more favorable hemodynamic stability and less hemodynamic imparements compared to remifentanil; using this dose before the laryngoscopy is more favorable.