Comparison of the hemodynamic and neuromuscular effects of atracurium and cisatracurium - A prospective, randomised, comparative study.

Abstract

Atracurium and cisatracurium are both intermediate-acting, non-depolarising neuromuscular blocking agents cleared largely through Hofmann elimination, making them relatively independent of hepatic or renal function. Atracurium causes dose-dependent histamine release, an effect absent in cisatracurium, its purified stereoisomer — though whether this translates into any real haemodynamic difference between the two remains worth examining directly.