Fig. 5. Heart rate responses for each child and the mean during the first hour after control (0 μg · kg−1· h−1) and infusions of 2, 4, and 6 μg · kg−1· h−1dexmedetomidine for 10 min (corresponding to 0, 0.33, 0.66, and 1.0 μg/kg). In each frame, mean heart rate response is represented by the heavy line and individual responses are represented by the light lines . Overall, the dose of dexmedetomidine ( P < 0.00008) and time ( P < 0.025) independently decreased the heart rate. Heart rate decreased to a greater extent with larger doses of dexmedetomidine , i.e. , the decreases in heart rate after 4 and 6 μg · kg−1· h−1dexmedetomidine overall ( P = 0.038 and 0.0002, respectively) were significantly greater than the decreases after control and 2 μg · kg−1· h−1. bpm = beats/min.
