Management of postcardiotomy hypertension by microcomputer-controlled administration of sodium nitroprusside

• Published in: The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery Vol. 89; no. 1; p. 115
• Main Authors: de Asla, R A, Benis, A M, Jurado, R A, Litwak, R S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-01-1985
• Subjects: Cardiac Surgical Procedures - adverse effects; Computers; Coronary Artery Bypass - adverse effects; Ferricyanides - administration & dosage; Heart Valve Diseases - surgery; Humans; Hypertension - drug therapy; Hypertension - etiology; Infusions, Parenteral - instrumentation; Infusions, Parenteral - methods; Intraoperative Period; Microcomputers; Middle Aged; Nitroprusside - administration & dosage; Postoperative Period; Prospective Studies; Time Factors
• DOI: 10.1016/s0022-5223(19)38856-7
• ISSN: 0022-5223

Manual administration of sodium nitroprusside in patients who have undergone cardiac operations can be associated with wide swings in mean systemic arterial pressure. Moreover, it is necessary for constant attention to be paid in order to minimize these potentially catastrophic arterial pressure changes. A microcomputer-based controller was constructed in the belief that it might improve the accuracy of systemic arterial pressure control as well as relieve the clinical staff of a time-consuming task. Comparison was made of the effectiveness of manual control versus computer control of sodium nitroprusside infusion in two groups of patients with similar clinical characteristics. In the manual control group the mean systemic arterial pressure could be maintained within 5 mm Hg of the target pressure only half (52%) of the time. In the computer-controlled group the mean systemic arterial pressure was maintained within 5 mm Hg of the target pressure 94% of the time (p less than 0.005). Thus, computerized control of sodium nitroprusside infusion eliminated the need for an intensive care unit nurse to be "locked into" the task of making frequent adjustments of infusion rate. Of even greater importance, control of mean systemic arterial pressure was more precise.