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.