The effect of intramuscular ephedrine on hypotension during spinal anesthesia in Cesarean

Two of the side effects of the spinal anesthesia for caesarian are the hypotension of mother and bradycardia of the fetus. The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of intramuscular (i.m.) ephedrine for prevention of the hypotension associated with the spinal anesthesia. Ninety patients undergoing elective caesarian section under spinal anesthesia, were assigned to three groups in a randomized clinical trial study. Group 1, “control group” didn receive ephedrine, while case groups “group 2 and group 3” received 25 mg and 50 mg ephedrine (i.m.) 5 minutes before the spinal anesthesia respectively. The mean arterial pressure (MAP) was recorded at 1, 5, 15 and 30 minutes after spinal anesthesia, and the differences of these mean arterial pressures (DMAP) from that of 5 minutes before spinal anesthesia were calculated. The MAP and the differences were significantly different between the three groups. We concluded that 50 mg ephedrine prevents hypotension during 30 minutes after the spinal anesthesia, but 25 mg ephedrine prevents hypotension only at 5 minutes after the spinal anesthesia. Therefore 50 mg ephedrine could be used to prevent mother’s hypotention during spinal anesthesia.