Final answer:
Complications of spinal anesthesia include bradycardia and hypotension. Bradycardia can be treated with atropine, while hypotension can be treated with fluid resuscitation and vasopressors.
Step-by-step explanation:
Complications of spinal anesthesia include bradycardia and hypotension. Bradycardia refers to a slow heart rate, which can occur due to the effect of spinal anesthesia on the autonomic nervous system. It can be caused by the blockade of sympathetic fibers, which leads to unopposed parasympathetic activity.
To treat bradycardia during spinal anesthesia, atropine can be administered to block the parasympathetic activity and increase heart rate.
Hypotension is another complication of spinal anesthesia, caused by the blockade of sympathetic fibers that control blood vessel constriction. This leads to vasodilation and decreased resistance in the blood vessels, resulting in low blood pressure.
Treatment of hypotension during spinal anesthesia involves fluid resuscitation and vasopressors such as ephedrine or phenylephrine to increase blood pressure.