Methods
tachycardia, Postoperative pain, postoperative nausea and vomiting, PONV, hypertension, NRS
SECONDARY, HYPERTENSION, MUSCLE RELAXATION
Ninety patients were equally randomized into three groups. The ketamine group received a bolus dose (0.3 mg/kg) of ketamine over 10 min, followed by an infusion of the same drug (0.3 mg/kg/h). The dexmedetomidine group received a bolus dose (0.5 mcg/kg) of dexmedetomidine over 10 min, followed by an infusion of this drug (0.5 mg/kg/h). The control group received a saline infusion. All infusions were given till 10 min before the end of surgeries. Intraoperative fentanyl was given when patient developed hypertension and tachycardia despite adequate anesthesia and muscle relaxation. Postoperative pain was managed by a rescue dose of 4 mg of IV morphine, with a minimum interval of 6 h between morphine doses if the numerical rating scale (NRS) score was ≥ 4. The primary outcome was the total morphine dose, and the secondary outcomes were intraoperative fentanyl requirement, time to extubation, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), NRS scores, and modified observer’s agitation/sedation scale (MOASS) scores.