Pharmacological Agents in Blunting the Extubation Response: A Narrative Review

Anusha B , Mohanty A, Krishna Prasad T and Govindasamy J

Published on: 2024-09-09

Abstract

Airway management is the cornerstone of anesthetic practice. Endotracheal extubation is challenging and is more complicated than intubation response leading to a host of unpredictable challenges during the procedure. Although hypertension and tachycardia are typically brief during extubation, they can still have harmful effects. Therefore, it is crucial to implement effective measures to blunt the sympathetic responses resulting in tachycardia and hypertension during tracheal extubation. Numerous strategies including various drugs have been used to blunt the hemodynamic response during extubation, but many of them have variable side effects that can have effect on short-term recovery.