the effects of dexmedetomidine prescription in paediatric patients with pulmonary hypertension under congenital heart surgery

Anesthetized patient management for pediatric patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (pah) is a major challenge. the aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of dexmedetomidine to reduce pulmonary arterial hypertension in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension undergoing cardiac surgery. sixty-six patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension underwent the study. patients were randomly divided into two groups: group d received a dexmedetomidine injection in a dose of 1 μg/kg in the first hour and then decreased to 0.5 μg/kg/hr, injection continued after surgery until extubation in the post-anesthetic care unit (pacu). group c received normal saline 0.9% in a similar volume. pulmonary artery systolic pressure (pasp) and systemic systolic blood pressure (ssbp) were recorded during and after the surgery in the post-anesthetic care unit. needing vasodilators, sedatives, extubation time, and the length of icu stay were recorded for all patients. patients in the dexmedetomidine group showed a significant reduction in pulmonary artery systolic pressure and pulmonary artery systolic pressure/systemic systolic blood pressure rates during surgery and during the first 24 hours in the post-anesthetic care unit (p<0.001). the dexmedetomidine group, in comparison with the control group, needed a significantly lower dose of a vasodilator (p<0.001) and a lower dose of sedation (p<0.001). it is concluded that the use of dexmedetomidine during the surgery in children with pulmonary hypertension reduces pulmonary artery systolic pressure during and after the surgery.