Abstract:Objective To explore the effects of dexmedetomidine combined with general anesthesia in thoracoscopic radical resection of lung cancer in the elderly patients with hypertension and lung cancer. Methods A total of 96 elderly patients with hypertension and lung cancer undergoing thoracoscopic radical resection of lung cancer in our hospital from July 2016 to February 2019 were randomly divided into routine group and research group, with 48 cases in each group. The research group was given dexmedetomidine intravenously 30 minutes before anesthesia induction (T1), while the routine group was given the same volume of normal saline. The heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) at T1, anesthesia induction (T2), before endotracheal intubation (T3), immediately after endotracheal intubation (T4), and 30 minutes after operation (T5) were compared. We also analyzed the scores of visual analogue scale (VAS) and Bruggrmann comfort scale (BCS); pressing times of analgesic pump and the rate of using other analgesics within 48 hours after operation; and the occurrence of adverse drug reactions. Results The HR, SBP and DBP were different between the two groups and altered at different time points (T1, T2, T3, T4, T5) with distinct changing trends (P < 0.05). The HR, SBP and DBP were different at T1, T2 and T4 in routine group (P < 0.05). The scores of VAS and BCS were different between the two groups and altered at 2 h before operation as well as 2 h, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h and 48 h after operation with distinct changing trends (P < 0.05). The pressing times of analgesic pump within 48 h after operation in the research group were less than those in the routine group, and the rate of tramadol use in the research group within 48 h after operation was lower than that in the routine group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the overall incidence of adverse drug reactions between the two groups (P > 0.05). Conclusions In the elderly patients with hypertension and lung cancer undergoing thoracoscopic radical resection of lung cancer, dexmedetomidine combined with general anesthesia can to some extent safely maintain hemodynamic stability during intubation and operation, alleviate early postoperative pain, reduce the use of analgesics and improve patient comfort.