The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 24, 59-61, Copyright © 1977 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Aortocoronary vein graft flow in response to peripheral venous administration of sodium nitroprusside or diazepam
RK Stoelting and RD King
Vein graft flow (VGF) in response to peripheral venous administration of
sodium nitroprusside (SNP) or diazepam was studied in 13 anesthetized
patients following cardiopulmonary bypass for aortocoronary vein bypass
graft operations. SNP (0.5 microgram/kg/min) significantly reduced mean
arterial pressure (p less than 0.05). VGF paralleled the decreased blood
pressure, but the reduction was not significant (p greater than 0.05).
Diazepam (0.1 mg/kg) did not significantly alter blood pressure or VGF. We
conclude that peripheral venous administration of SNP or diazepam is not a
pharmacologically reliable method by which to increase VGF in the period
immediately following a graft operation.