Effects of Clonidine Premedication on Intraoperative Blood Loss in Patients With and Without Opium Addiction During Elective Femoral Fracture Surgeries

BACKGROUND Opium is an addictive agent and one of the most common narcotics With great challenges of intraoperative hemodynamic instabilities. OBJECTIVES The current study aimed to assess the effects of clonidine on intraoperative blood loss in patients with and without opium addiction in femoral fracture surgeries. PATIENTS AND METHODS In a randomized clinical trial, 160 candidates for elective femoral fracture operations under general anesthesia were divided into four groups of 40 subjects: group 1 (placebo 1), subjects without addiction received placebo 90 minutes before the operation; group 2 (placebo 2), patients with opium addiction received placebo as group 1; group 3 (Clonidine 1), patients without addiction received clonidine 90 minutes before the operation and group 4 (Clonidine 2), patients with opium addiction received clonidine as premedication. RESULTS Intraoperative blood loss in clonidine recipient groups, patients with and without addiction, was less than that of the placebos (both P values < 0.01) and the difference magnitude was higher in patients with opium addiction. CONCLUSIONS Premedication with clonidine to decrease intraoperative blood loss can be more effective in patients with opium addiction than the ones without addiction.