What is a common cardiovascular effect of sodium thiopental?

What is a common cardiovascular effect of sodium thiopental?

• A. Hypertension with bradycardia
• B. Hypotension with venodilation and reflex tachycardia
• C. No cardiovascular effects
• D. Hyperlipidemia

Answer: (B)

Sodium thiopental, used for induction, typically causes a rapid drop in blood pressure due to vasodilation, especially venodilation that reduces venous return (preload). It can also depress myocardial contractility, further lowering cardiac output. The body often responds with a reflex increase in heart rate to maintain blood pressure, so the overall effect is hypotension with venodilation and reflex tachycardia. The other options don’t fit: hypertension with bradycardia is the opposite of the expected vasodilatory-induced hypotension; no cardiovascular effects isn’t accurate for an induction agent known to alter hemodynamics; hyperlipidemia is not an acute cardiovascular effect of this drug.

Sodium thiopental, used for induction, typically causes a rapid drop in blood pressure due to vasodilation, especially venodilation that reduces venous return (preload). It can also depress myocardial contractility, further lowering cardiac output. The body often responds with a reflex increase in heart rate to maintain blood pressure, so the overall effect is hypotension with venodilation and reflex tachycardia. The other options don’t fit: hypertension with bradycardia is the opposite of the expected vasodilatory-induced hypotension; no cardiovascular effects isn’t accurate for an induction agent known to alter hemodynamics; hyperlipidemia is not an acute cardiovascular effect of this drug.