Effect of Etomidate on Hemodynamics and Adrenocortical Function After Cardiac Surgery

Inclusion Criteria: * Male or female patients undergoing elective * coronary artery bypass graft (primary or re-operation) * mitral valve reconstruction/replacement for mitral valve regurgitation * Age between 18 and 80 years (extremes included) * Subject itself has signed the informed consent * No clinically relevant deviation from the laboratory's reference range of biochemistry, hematology, or urinalysis testing Exclusion Criteria: * Participation in another ongoing interventional trial * Known adrenocortical insufficiency * Use of etomidate or propofol within 1 week preoperatively * Use of glucocorticoids within 6 month preoperatively * Known sensitivity to etomidate, propofol, or emulgator * Severe hepatic dysfunction (bilirubin \> 3mg/dl) * Severe renal dysfunction (plasma creatinine \> 180mikromol/l) * Sepsis, endocarditis or other chronic inflammatory disease * Manifest insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus * Positive HIV serology * Hemodynamically significant carotid stenosis requiring treatment * Serious illnesses: endocrine, neurological, psychiatric, metabolic disturbances * Pregnancy or breast-feeding female; females will be subject to pregnancy testing * Requirement of rapid sequence induction * Emergency surgery * History of asthma