EFFECT OF DOXAPRAM ON NEOSTIGMINE EVOKED ANTAGONISM OF VECURONIUM NEUROMUSCULAR BLOCK

We have examined the effect of doxapram on neostigmine-evokedantagonism of vecuronium neuromuscular block in a double-blindstudy in anaesthetized patients. Neuromuscular transmissionwas measured with a Datex Relaxograph. The mean time to recoveryof the first contraction of the train-of-four (T1) from 25%to 75% was significantly longer in the presence of doxapram(138 (SEM 21) s; n = 23) than in its absence (95 (13) s; n =29) (P = 0.014). The recovery of the train-of-four ratio wasprolonged also in the presence of doxapram, although this differencewas not statistically significant.