Impact of dexmedetomidine on postoperative biomarkers,length of hospitalisation and mortality in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery

Abstract

Coronary artery bypass graft surgery, a surgical procedure performed to alleviate the symptoms of ischaemic heart disease and improve prognosis on cardiopulmonary bypass, is beneficial in patients with ischaemic heart disease, however it is not without deleterious adverse clinical events and mortality due to its associated inflammatory and stress response. Dexmedetomidine, an a–2 adrenergic agonist, is a promising drug with a potential towards myocardial protection due to its favourable pharmacological profile. This study investigated the impact of dexmedetomidine compared to placebo on high sensitivity troponin in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery on cardiopulmonary artery bypass in a randomised controlled trial. Secondary endpoints included mortality and the length of hospitalization. Subsequently, a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials on the effects of dexmedetomidine on conventional troponin (cTn) compared to control was conducted.