Anesthesia, Surgery and Rauwolfia

Abstract

One hundred patients on Rauwolfia therapy were studied during anesthesia and operation. A fell in blood pressure of more than 30% was observed in 18 patients. The fall in blood pressure was usually associated with blood loss, speed of anesthetic induction, surgical manipulation, position changes, and excessive amounts of anesthetic agents. Ephedrine was effective in temporarily raising the blood pressure. The 100 patients on Rauwolfia therapy were compared with a randomly selected group of 100 hypertensive patients not treated with Rauwolfia drugs. A fall in blood pressure of more than 30% was observed in 30 of the hypertensive patients. The results suggest that patients on Rauwolfia therapy tolerate anesthesia and operation satisfactorily, and at least as well as hypertensive patients not treated with Rauwolfia. Elective surgery may be safely undertaken without discontinuing Rauwolfia therapy.