Abstract: AIM: To evaluate the influences of perioperative esmolol administration upon the consump-tion of fentanyl in senile patients and its safety . METHODS: Forty ASAⅡ-Ⅲ old patients undergoing joint replacement were randomly assigned two groups of equal size .Rout fentanyl-isoflurane combined anesthe-sia was used in group C patients;Patients in the group E received an i .v.loading dose of esmolol 1 mg/kg be-fore anaesthesia induction and followed by infusion of 25 μg^。kg^{-1 。}min^-1 , MAP, HR were keeped within 20%of the baseline and BIS in 45-60 in both groups ;Observe intraoperative changes of MAP, HR, BIS, note VAS, Ramsay sedation score after extubation, note laryngeal reflex time(LRT) , eyes-opening time(EOT) , extubation time (ET) at resuscitation and follow the in-formation about drug consumption and perioperative complications.RESULTS: T 4 HR, T 2 BIS in group E were less than group C (P <0.05) ;VAS, Ramsay scores were similar between the two groups (P > 0.05) ;LRT, EOT, ET and intraoperative consump-tion of fentanyl in group E were obviously less than those in group C (P <0.05) , the rates of PONV and intraoperative awareness were similar between the two groups (P >0.05).CONCLUTION: Perioperative esmolol administration can reduce the intraoperative consumption of fentanyl during general anaesthesia in senile patients undergoing joint replacement, and that brings about quicker and safe resuscitation .

Key words: emolol, fentanyl, general anaesthesia, senile patient