Increased pressor response to noradrenaline ...

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Power failure to a tertiary hospital's operating suite ... two consecutive weekdays our hospital experienced ... Australia Pty Ltd, Mona Vale, NSW) with X-ray.
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References 1. Lewena S, Young S. When benzodiazepines fail: how effective is second line therapy for status epilepticus in children? Emerg Med Australas 2006; 18:45-50. 2. Lee WK, Liu KT, Young BWY. Very-high dose phenobarbital for childhood refractory status epilepticus. Paediatr Neurol 2006; 34:63-65. 3. Valley RD, Freid EB, Bailey AG, Kopp VJ, Georges LS, Fletcher J et al. Tracheal extubation of deeply anesthetized pediatric patients: a comparision of desflurane and sevoflurane. Anesth Analg 2003; 96:1320-1324. 4. Mohanram A, Kumar V, Iqbal Z, Markan S, Pagel PS. Repetitive generalized seizure-like activity during emergence from sevoflurane anesthesia. Can J Anesth 2007; 54:657-661.

Increased pressor response to noradrenaline during septic shock following clonidine? Alpha-2 agonists are increasingly used as firstline sedative agents in the critical care unit (CCU). However, these drugs are anti-hypertensive agents and sympatholytics. Therefore, administration of alpha-2 agonists during septic shock (defined as systolic blood pressure [SBP] 1 ml.kg-1.h-1) was reduced from 3 to 2.33 µg.kg-1.min-1 over six hours. Diuresis resumed to 2 ml.kg-1.h-1 (3400 ml/day). Frusemide was reduced to 10 mg.kg-1.day-1 over 24 hours. A nadir of NA to 0.66 µg.kg-1.min-1 after 48 hours and a diuresis above 40 ml.kg.day-1 were

observed despite unabated fever (38 to 39.3°C). Clonidine infusion (1 µg.kg-1.h-1) was continued throughout the stay in the critical care unit. NA rate of infusion was increased again on day 21. Repeated bronchio-alveolar lavages and bacteriological studies revealed several sub-types of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, resistant to all tested antibiotics. On day 26, the patient died in septic shock. A restored response to exogenous NA for four days with sustained normotension was observed in a patient presenting with SBP