Common knee surgery triggers blood pressure danger zone

This study tested which of two drugs works better to prevent a dangerous spike in blood pressure during common outpatient knee surgery. The spike, which happens in about two-thirds of patients, is caused by a device used to stop bleeding. Researchers compared dexmedetomidine, which calms the nervous system, to lidocaine, a common numbing agent, in 186 patients. While dexmedetomidine was more effective at controlling blood pressure, it also caused more side effects than lidocaine.