Comparison of Bolus Ephedrine vs Mephentermine in the Management of Hypotension during Spinal Anaesthesia for Caesarean Section: A Randomised Clinical Trial

Introduction: Ephedrine and mephentermine are synthetic sympathomimetic drugs used as vasopressors. Ephedrine has direct and indirect effects on α, b1, and b2 receptors, and it also releases endogenous norepinephrine from synaptic storage sites. This leads to an elevation in Systolic Blood Pressure (SBP) and Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP). On the other hand, mephentermine indirectly stimulates beta-adrenergic receptors and to some extent alpha-adrenergic receptors as well. Its primary effect is cardiac stimulation, which increases peripheral vascular resistance and contributes to an increase in blood pressure. Aim: The aim of this study is to examine the efficacy of ephedrine and mephentermine in the treatment of hypotension during Lower Segment Caesarean Section (LSCS). Materials and Methods: This double-blinded randomised clinical trial was conducted in the Department of Anaesthesiology among 90 pregnant females scheduled for caesarean delivery at Hind Institute of Medical Sciences, Sitapur, India from January 2021 to December 2022. Patients who developed hypotension (SBP