Background: Cardiovascular stress due to reflex sympathetic over activity is a great concern during laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation. Aims and Objectives: To compare the efficacy and safety of esmolol and verapamil for attenuation of hemodynamic effects (heart rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure) due to laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation in elective surgical cases. Materials and Methods: A prospective, randomized, double blinded, controlled study was conducted on 60 patients divided equally into 30 each receiving esmolol (2 mg/kg body weight) and verapamil (0.1 mg/kg body weight) respectively. Heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure were recordedat pre-operative stage, after administration of the study drugs, immediately after intubation and at 1 ,3 ,5 minutes after intubation. Data collected were statistically analyzed. Results: The mean systolic blood pressure was lower in the esmolol group at all times of estimation compared with the verapamil group and the difference was at the time of intubation (p value <0.001).The mean diastolic blood pressure was lower in the esmolol group at all times of estimation compared to the verapamil group which was not statistically significant at any time of estimation. The mean arterial pressure was significantly lower at the time of immediately after intubation (p<0.001) in esmolol as compared to verapamil group. Adverse effects in both the study groups were insignificant. Conclusion: Esmololand Verapamil can effectively attenuate the cardiovascular stress to laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation with the former appears to be a better alternative from efficacy and safety perspectives.

DABCO (1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane) has garnered a lot of interest for numerous organic transformations since it is a low-cost, environmentally friendly, highly reactive, manageable, non-toxic and a basic organocatalyst while producing the...

Background: Pain is the leading symptom of knee osteoarthritis (OA) leading to significant morbidity and decreased quality of life. Duloxetine, a selective serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, has been demonstrated to have a centrally acting analgesic effect. Aims and Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of two different doses of duloxetine and compare with conventional pharmacotherapy in treatment of chronic pain due to osteoarthritis of knee. Materials and Methods: 90 patients with symptomatic knee OA were randomly divided into 3 groups to receive duloxetine 40 mg & 3g paracetamol/day (Group A), duloxetine 20 mg & 3g paracetamol/day (Group B) and paracetamol 3gm/day (Group C). Patients were followed up for 6 months to assess pain relief and functional improvement. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for assessing pain intensity and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) questionnaire physical function subscale for assessing physical function were used. Results: Reduction in VAS score from baseline was significantly high in groups A and B as compared to C at 1 month, 3 months and 6 months. Reduction in WOMAC score from baseline were also significantly high in groups A and B as compared to C at 1 month, 3 month and 6 months. Adverse effects in Group A were significantly high as compared to group B and C. Patients discontinuing due to adverse effects were significantly high in group A. Conclusion: Lower dose of duloxetine is associated with significant pain reduction and improved function with lesser adverse effects in patients with pain due to knee OA.