The Effect of Intraoperative Labetalol on Time to Discharge
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2019-01-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Patients coming for surgery often receive opioid medications, like fentanyl, to treat pain.
Opioids however have many unpleasant side effects including nausea and vomiting, itching,
sedation, and decreased breathing. During laparoscopic surgery increases in heart and blood
pressure are often attributed to pain. It has been shown that by treating these changes with
medications such as esmolol, instead of opioids, side effects and time to discharge from
hospital can be reduced. Labetalol is a drug that is similar to esmolol but may have
advantages over it. It is more effective at controlling both heart rate and blood pressure
and it is easier and less costly to use. This study is investigating labetalol in patients
having laparoscopic gallbladder surgery and comparing it to esmolol and fentanyl. Patients
will be treated with one of these drugs during surgery to control heart rate and blood
pressure and the effects on time to discharge, pain scores, frequency of side effects, and
narcotic requirements will be observed in the recovery room. It is thought that labetalol
will be shown to be as effective as esmolol and that both drugs that minimize fentanyl will
show reduced time to discharge, fewer side effects, and effective treatment of heart rate and
blood pressure.