Pregabalin As A Premedicant To Attenuate Pressor Response In Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study

Abstract

The present study was done to evaluate the ability of oral pregabalin to attenuate the pressor response to airway instrumentation in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy under general anesthesia. Sixty-four adult patients aged between 25-55 year of either gender belonging to ASA-1 or ASA- 2 physical status weighing 50-70 kg were enrolled in this study. Thirty-two patients each were randomized to group A, or group B. Patients in group A received tablet Pregabalin (150mg) and those in group B received placebo orally one hour before induction of anaesthesia. Heart rate, blood pressure, and sedation were assessed preoperatively before giving the tablets and after 30 minutes, and just before induction of anaesthesia. Intraoperative, pulse rate, mean arterial pressure, ECG in the lead II, SPO₂ and ETCO2 were monitored. All the above parameters were noted during laryngoscopy and intubation, 3 minutes after CO₂ insufflation, and then at every 10-minute interval till the end of surgery. The Ramsay sedation scale was used to assess the sedation at the baseline, one hour after drug intake, one hour after extubation and 4 hour after surgery. The result of our study shows that pre-emptive administration of oral pregabalin 150 mg significantly reduced the pressor response at the time of laryngoscopy and intubation, after CO₂ insufflation and just after extubation. We conclude that oral pregabalin premedication is effective in successful attenuation of hemodynamic pressor response to laryngoscopy, intubation and pneumoperitoneum in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.