Causes of Heart Attack: Propofol May Cause Heart Attacks
May 14, 2001
The anesthetic drug Propofol (Diprivan) may cause heart attacks in those patients suffering from head trauma and subsequently on ventilation in an Intensive Care Unit. This information comes from the researchers of the University Medical Centre Utrecht, in the Netherlands. This possibility became apparent after five head injury patients in the ICU on ventilation received the anesthetic Propofol and died of heart attacks.
This startling information prompted researchers to investigate how many other Propofol-treated head injury patients also suffered from heart attacks while in the ICU. The investigators studied 67 patients in the ICU between 1996 and 1999. Seven of those studied may have died from Propofol related heart attacks.
There may be a relationship between "long-term, high-dose Propofol infusion and cardiac disorders" according to the researchers. However, not enough information exists to determine whether or not the drug actually causes heart attacks.
According to AstraZeneca "there is no evidence to suggest a causal link between Propofol sedation and cardiac failure; nor a specific adult syndrome resulting from the use of Propofol."
-- Article Courtesy of InjuryBoard.com
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