d-DESOXYEPHEDRINE: A COMPARISON WITH CERTAIN OTHER VASOPRESSOR DRUGS

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Abstract
The action of d-desoxyephedrine (desoxyn), 2-methylaminoheptane (oenethyl), and ephedrine were compared as to their ability to combat the hypotension accompanying spinal anesthesia. This was accomplished by comparing the number of additional intraven. doses required to maintain an adequate blood pressure level after an initial intramusc. dose. Each of these agents was administered to 250 patients of comparable age group and sex distribution. The initial doses were: desoxyn 10-30 mg., oenethyl 50 mg., and ephedrine 50 mg. There was no significant difference between the mean preoperative and postoperative blood pressures when no additional vasopressor was used, or when one or more additional doses of vasopressor was administered. No difference was noted in the action of vasopressors in the 15- to 29-yr. age group, whose blood pressure did not tend to decrease, regardless of the type or duration of operation. In the 30- to 59- and the 60- to 90-yr. age groups no additional dose of desoxyn was necessary in more than 93% of the cases. More than 20% of the cases required additional doses when oenethyl or ephedrine was used. In operations lasting less than 1 hr., the initial dose of desoxyn sufficied in 95% and that of ephedrine or oenethyl in 85% of the cases. In operations of all lengths only one dose of desoxyn was required in 93% of the cases, whereas the comparable figure for ephedrine and oenethyl was 82%. As compared with other sites, additional doses of vasopressors were required more frequently in upper abdominal operations. Here again a single dose of desoxyn was effective more frequently (78%) than ephedrine (75%) or oenethyl (43%).