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Context:Laryngoscopy and intubation cause an intense reflex increase in heart rate, blood pressure, due to an increased sympathoadrenal pressor response. Lignoocaine has shown blunting of pressor response to intubation. Dexmedetomidine has sympatholytic effects.Aims:To the best of our knowledge there is no study comparing the efficacy of lignocaine with two different doses of dexmedetomidine for attenuating the pressor response. With this idea, we planned to conduct the present study.Materials and Methods:After approval by the Hospital Ethics committee, 90 consenting adults aged 18-65 years of age of either sex of non-hypertensive ASA Grade I or II were randomly allocated into three groups. Group D1- IV Dexmedetomidine 0.5μg/kg over 10 minutes Group D2- IV Dexmedetomidine 1μg/kg over 10 minutes Group X- IV Lignocaine 1.5mg/kg in 10 ml normal salineStatistical Analysis Used:ANOVA and Student's t test used for analysis.Results:Dexmedetomidine 1µg/kg was more effective than 0.5µg/kg and lignocaine 1.5mg/kg in attenuating the pressor response.Conclusions:We conclude that dexmedetomidine 1μg/kg adequately attenuates the hemodynamic response to laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation when compared with dexmedetomidine 0.5μg/kg and lignocaine 1.5mg/kg.

CONTEXT: Pharmacology is one of the most fundamental subjects in the field of medicine and a good grasp of this subject is vital for any clinical practitioner. The teaching of pharmacology in medical and dental colleges of India has evolved from mere didactic lectures to audio-visual aid based lectures and computer based learning. Evolution of teaching methods is an ongoing process and a docent needs proper feedback from the pupils regarding their opinion on what is satisfactory and what needs improvement. AIMS: By way of this survey-based study we aim to grasp the MBBS and BDS students' opinion regarding the teaching practices in pharmacology and changes recommended for the betterment of the same. METHODS AND MATERIALS: After obtaining due approval of the Institutional Ethics Committee, the study was conducted amongst 2 nd year exam going MBBS and BDS students of M R Medical College and S Nijalingappa Dental College, Gulbarga, Karnataka in the Department of Pharmacology M R Medical College. An exhaustive questionnaire based survey was prepared of 17 questions with choices ranging from 3-8 different options. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The result of our study favours the need for pharmacology as a subject to be more clinically oriented as well as being technologically sound. The students overall have a positive outlook of pharmacology (53%) and consider lectures as the most appropriate and helpful teaching method (62%). Introduction of group discussion is one change that is warranted by students overwhelmingly (41%), followed by introduction of clinical pharmacology exercises (31%). A vast majority of the students (70%) found the lectures in pharmacology to be interesting and want them to be more clinically oriented. The importance of pharmacology in clinical decision making is well understood by the majority of students and they aim to act in that behest. Also, we find that computer based learning is a new and important tool coming up in the arsenal of the pharmacology teacher.