Comparison of Esmolol and Labetalol in Attenuating Hemodynamic Responses after Electroconvulsive Therapy

Electroconvulsive therapy is used to treat the acute depression and chronic depression, resistant to pharmacological therapy. OBJECTIVE: This study was done to compare the effects of esmolol and labetalol in attenuation of hemodynamic responses after ECT. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 90 patients aged 18-60 years were randomly divided into three groups. Baseline parameters were recorded .Group C received 5 ml of normal saline ,group E received 1mg/kg esmolol and group L received 0.25mg/kg labetalol after induction. Heart rate, systolic BP and diastolic BP were recorded at 1min after test drug administration and 1,3,5,10 minutes after ECT. Hypertension and tachycardia occurred due to sympathetic nervous system activation after ECT. RESULTS: It was found that esmolol significantly attenuated the degree of tachycardia and hypertension, in the first three minutes compared to placebo whereas the rise in HR and blood pressure was significantly reduced in the labetalol group in comparison to placebo, from three minutes to ten minutes. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that esmolol is effective in blunting the hemodynamic responses in the first three minutes after application of the electrical current, whereas Labetalol is effective from five minutes to ten minutes after ECT.