Objective: To evaluate the use of a high dose of nitroglycerin (NTG) for prophylaxis against myocardial ischemia and infarction in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery with accelerated recovery.
Design: Prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized study.
Setting: A university-based medical center.
Participants: Forty adult patients presenting for elective CABG surgery.
Interventions: Forty patients were divided into 2 blinded study groups. Twenty patients received 2 microg/kg/min of NTG starting before induction of anesthesia and continuing for 6 hours after extubation in the intensive care unit. The placebo group (n = 20) received normal saline during this same interval.
Measurements and main results: Hemodynamics, incidence and severity of myocardial ischemia, and myocardial infarction rates were determined. There were no differences in hemodynamic parameters between groups. The incidence of ischemia was approximately 35% in each group. Myocardial infarction (as determined by elevated creatine kinase-MB fraction, troponin I, and electrocardiogram criteria) was 10% in the placebo group and 5% in the NTG group (p = 0.234).
Conclusions: This study shows a high incidence of myocardial ischemia and infarction in patients presenting for CABG surgery with an accelerated recovery management scheme. NTG was well tolerated clinically; however, it was not found to be protective against myocardial ischemia or infarction in this setting.