Circulatory Effects of Digoxin and Propranolol Early After Pulmonary Surgery

Abstract

The indications for prophylactic digitalization after pulmonary surgery are still under debate. Therefore, the circulatory effects of postoperative administration of i.v. digoxin were studied in 9 patients who before operation had no signs or symtoms of cardiovascular disease. No remarkable circulatory effects of digitalis were found, which speaks against the postoperative occurrence of myocardial failure. In 8 other cardiovascularly healthy patients the circulatory effect of (a) i.v. propra-nolol (10 mg) 2 days after surgery was studied, (b) continued i.v. administration of propranolol (1.5 mg per kg and 24 hours) during the following 20 hours was studied. The circulation was found to change in a hypokinetic way on propranolol administration on the second postoperative day, but myocardial failure was not provoked. No untoward effects from the continued i.v. administration of propranolol were seen.