Comparative hemodynamic effects of carbetocin vs oxytocin in mothers with stenotic valvular heart disease undergoing cesarean delivery: a randomized controlled trial

Background & objective: Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is quite common an obstetric emergency, and is a nightmare for the anesthesiologist as well as the obstetrician. We compared the hemodynamic profiles of oxytocin and carbetocin for prevention of postpartum hemorrhage during elective cesarean delivery in patients with mild to moderate mitral or aortic stenosis. Methodology: This randomized controlled trial included full term pregnant women with known mild to moderate mitral or aortic valve stenosis and undergoing elective cesarean delivery. After delivery of the shoulder of the baby, the participant received either oxytocin or carbetocin. Patients’ hemodynamic parameters, including blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac output, and systemic vascular resistance, were recorded. The primary outcome was the 5-min average cardiac output after the drug administration. Secondary outcomes were cardiac output, systolic blood pressure, heart rate and systemic vascular resistance, blood loss, and the need for rescue uterotonics. Results: Forty-five patients (23 patients in the carbetocin group and 22 in the oxytocin group) were analyzed. The 5-min average cardiac output after drug injection was comparable between the two groups. The number of participants needing rescue uterotonic boluses were significantly more in the oxytocin group than in the carbetocin group (P = 0.022). Conclusion: In full-term pregnant women with stenotic valvular pathologies, carbetocin showed superior uterotonic effect compared to oxytocin; however, both drugs resulted in the equivalent hemodynamic effects. Trial registration: Clinical trial registration with clinicaltrials.gov No. NCT05110482 Keywords: oxytocin; carbetocin; mitral stenosis; aortic stenosis; cesarean delivery; hemodynamics Citation: Refaat S, Amin S, Tarek H, El Regal EA, Eissa AA, Zayed M, Ibrahim M. Comparative hemodynamic effects of carbetocin vs oxytocin in mothers with stenotic valvular heart disease undergoing cesarean delivery: a randomized controlled trial. Anaesth. pain intensive care 2024;28(4):681−686; DOI: 10.35975/apic.v28i4.2369 Received: January 03, 2024; Reviewed: May 05, 2024; Accepted: June 11, 2024