Background: The occurrence of cardio vascular reactions to laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation has attracted the attention of anaesthesiologists and methods to avoid these potentially harmful responses even though transitory have been sought, particularly in critically ill patients, hypertensive patients. Tracheal intubation under light general anaesthesia is consistently accompanied by a pressor response, tachycardia and in some instances by cardiac arrhythmias. This pressor response, which was recognised early as 1951 is due to sympathetic reflex provoked by stimulation of the epipharynx and laryngopharynx. Subjects and Methods: Seventy five (75) patients belonging to ASA grade 1 & 2 scheduled for general surgical, orthopaedic surgical, ENT, gynocological surgical producers were studied. Results: The age of the patients varied from 10 to 60 years. The MAP in group A decreased after induction. There was a highly significant raise to 109+/-11 mm Hg during laryngoscopy and intubation. This decreased to 105+/-9mm Hg after five minutes which is not significant. Conclusion: These responses are transitory, variable and are much more marked in a hypertensive patient than in the normotensive patient. Once the laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation is completed, the increase in pulse and blood pressure subside, but the dysrhythmia persists for more than 2-3 minutes.

Background: Lignocaine is a local anaesthetic of moderate potency and duration with good penetrative power and rapid onset of action carbonated lignocaine has remarkable penetrative power, rapid onset of action a high incidence of motor block and a reduced incidence of missed segments (When used for epidural anaesthesia) when compared to hydrochloride of lignocaine. Subjects and Methods: Seventy five (75) patients belonging to ASA grade 1 & 2 scheduled for general surgical, orthopaedic surgical, ENT, gynaecological surgical producers were studied. Results: The age of the patients varied from 10 to 60 years. In our study, the heart rate in controls (Group A) before induction was 86+/-10 rose to 93+/-12 and 107+/-13 after induction and after laryngoscopy + ETI respectively. The changes seen after endotracheal intubation alone was statistically very highly significant (<0.001). In Group B, the pre induction heart rate was 94+/-17, which increased to 99+/-13, after induction.This increase not significant (P>0.05). There was an increases of 15 at laryngoscopy + ETI which was very highly significant (P<0.001). Conclusion: In Group C, the pre induction heart rate of 96+/-15 increased to 97+/-11 at induction and to 108+/-15 following endotracheal intubation.