ATRACURIUM: ITS SPEED OF ONSET. A COMPARISON WITH SUXAMETHONIUM

Abstract

Forty healthy pauents were randomly selected to receive either atracurium 0 6 mg kg⁻¹, or summethonium 1 mg kg⁻¹. Onset of neuromuscular blockade and the time to full peripheral paralysis were measured using a train-of-four stimulus repeated once every 12 s. Atracurium appeared to be a potent non-depolanzmg muscle relaxant, with a rapid onset of action. However, full peripheral paralysis took longer to achieve than with suxamethonium. There were no significant problems with recovery.