European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Background: Regional anaesthesia for caesarean delivery is associated with a high incidence of maternal hypotension and may result in fetalacidaemia due to decreased uteroplacental blood flow. The present study was compared mephentermine and intravenous norepinephrine for maintenance of blood pressure during spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section.
Materials & Methods: 80parturients scheduled for elective caesarean section under subarachnoid blockwere divided into 2 groups of 40 each. Group I received 6 mg mephentermine for SAIH and group II received8 µg boluses of intravenous norepinephrine. Parameters such as systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), Apgar score and maternal complications were recorded.
Results: Group I received 6 mg mephentermine for SAIH and group II received8 µg boluses of intravenous norepinephrine. The mean age in group I was 24.7 years and in group II was 25.2 years, height was 152.2 cm in group I and 156.8 cm in group II, weight was 62.8 kgs in group I and 63.2 kgs in group II, duration of surgery was 45.2 minutes in group I and 46.8 minutes in group II, APGAR score at 1st minute was 7.28 in group I and 7.24 in group II and at 5 minutes was 9.05 in group I and 9.04 in group II. The number of requirement of doses were 1 time seen in 15 in group I and 4 in group II, 2 times seen 14 in group I and 11 in group II, 3 times seen 8 in group I and 13 in group II, 4 times seen 3 in group I and 5 in group II, 5 times seen 0 in group I and 4 in group II, 6 times seen 0 in group I and 2 in group II. The difference was significant (P< 0.05). Side effects reported were Nausea/ vomiting seen 7 in group I and 4 in group II, headache seen 7 in group I and 5 in group II, shivering seen 4 in group I and 3 in group II and hypertension seen in 1 in group II. The difference was non- significant (P> 0.05).
Conclusion: Mephentermine was comparable with intravenous norepinephrine in maintenance of blood pressure during caesarean section.