Phenylephrine versus norepinephrine in regional anesthesia for cesarean delivery: a brief review

Recently, regional anesthesia, including spinal anesthesia, has become a standard anesthetic method for cesarean sections. Sympathetic blockade caused by hypotension after spinal an-esthesia causes nausea, vomiting, and dizziness and affects maternal hemodynamics, which reduces blood flow to the placenta, potentially leading to fetal acidosis. Therefore, the prevention of hypotension after spinal anesthesia is essential for the anesthetic management of cesarean sections. Interest in the use of vasopressors to treat or prevent hypotension following spinal anesthesia has increased, leading to a vigorous debate regarding the optimal choice of agent. Traditionally, ephedrine has been the vasopressor of choice. However, phenylephrine and nor-epinephrine are now preferred because of their superior efficacy in managing hypotension after spinal anesthesia. Regardless of the agent used, administering these medications ensured en-hanced maternal hemodynamic stability.