EFFECTS OF ALFENTANIL AND FENTANYL ON INDUCTION OF ANAESTHESIA IN PATIENTS WITH SEVERE PREGNANCY-INDUCED HYPERTENSION

Forty patients with severe pregnancy-induced hypertension presentingfor Caesarean section under general anaesthesia were allocatedrandomly to receive either fentanyl 2.5 µg kg^–1or alfentanil 10 µg kg^–1 as part of the anaestheticinduction sequence. In all patients, the cardiovascular responseto tracheal intubation was measured. Both drugs attenuated theresponse equally but did not abolish it in all patients. Alfentanil10 µg kg^–1 is a suitable alternative to fentanyl2.5 µg kg^–1 for patients with pregnancy-inducedhypertension.