A comparison of esmolol and dexmedetomidine for attenuation of intraocular pressure and haemodynamic responses to laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation

Laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation may cause undesirable increases in blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR) and intraocular pressure (IOP). Regarding dexmedetomidine, Jaakola and colleagues [4] have reported attenuation of the increase in the HR and arterial pressure during intubation by a bolus injection of 0.6 μg kg-1 dexmedetomidine, 10 min before anaesthesia induction, which also decreased intra-operative IOP and anaesthetic requirements for thiopentone and isoflurane.