Does prophylactic ephedrine attenuate the hemodynamic response to propofol in elderly female patients?
The prophylactic effect of ephedrine to counteract the hypotensive effect of propofol induction of anesthesia was investigated in three groups of elderly female patients given 0.1 or 0.2 mg of ephedrine or placebo before induction. Both ephedrine doses markedly attenuated, but neither of them abolished, the decrease in blood pressure.
On current evidence, either separation or combination of clinical and expert roles in a particular case may be acceptable. Insofar as there are national legal or professional guidelines on this issue, anyone practising in that country must follow them and may safely do so, regardless of practice in their native country. The most important ethical issue lies in clarity for all parties on the nature and extent of roles in the case. This paper has additional material online.