Comparison: The Effect of Ephedrine and Phenylephrine in Treatment of Hypotension after Spinal Anesthesia during Cesarean Section

Background and Objective The effectiveness of ephedrine and/or phenylephrine, in treatment of hypotension secondary to spinal anesthesia for cesarean section and their effects on fetal/neonatal outcome were studied. Methods and Materials Sixty healthy parturients were randomly assigned to two groups, Group A (n = 30) received boluses 5 mg/ml increments Ephedrine and, Group B (n = 30) received a boluses of phenylephrine 20 g/ml increments for treatment of hypotension after spinal block during cesarean section. Changes in maternal blood pressure and heart rate, and incidence of nausea-vomiting, neonatal Apgar score at 1 and 5 minutes of delivery, and umbilical arterial blood gas values were recorded. Results There were no differences in treatment of hypotension following sympathectomy after spinal block with two drugs. Neonatal outcome was similar in two groups. There were not significant differences in umbilical arterial values in two groups. Conclusion Ephedrine and phenylephrine are both effective vasopressors for treatment of hypotension associated to spinal block during cesarean section without adverse effects on infants/neonates.