Introduction: Oxytocin is a uterotonic drug that acts on receptors in the myometrium, causing uterine contractions. However, oxytocin receptors are also present in other organs, including the myocardium. Heat-stable carbetocin, a long-acting analog of oxytocin, is also known to act on these oxytocin receptors. As carbetocin has a long half-life of 40 minutes, its duration of action on the myocardium may be relatively longer than that of oxytocin. Therefore, this study aimed to study the cardiovascular effects of using a lower dose of carbetocin (50 mcg) compared to the standard dose (100 mcg) during elective cesarean delivery.
Materials and methods: A total of 212 full-term pregnant women were randomized into two groups: group I received 50 mcg of intravenous carbetocin, and group II received 100 mcg of intravenous carbetocin. Heart rate, blood pressure (BP), oxygen saturation, electrocardiogram changes, and pre- and postoperative (12 hours after cesarean delivery) high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I levels were compared between the groups.
Results: No statistically significant differences were observed between the groups with respect to heart rate, BP, electrocardiogram changes, or difference in pre- and postoperative high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I levels (p > 0.05).
Conclusion: Carbetocin's cardiovascular effects were similar in both groups. None of the participants had adverse cardiovascular effects from the drug, and there were no differences in cardiovascular effects between the groups.
Keywords: blood pressure; cesarean section; electrocardiogram; high-sensitivity cardiac troponin i; pulse.
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