Hemo- and cardiodynamic action of halothane or isoflurane following peroral long-term pretreatment with nifedipine. An animal experimental study]

This study investigated the influence of chronic oral nifedipine on the hemodynamic effects of halothane or isoflurane anesthesia in dogs. Under general anesthesia with fentanyl 0.3 microgram/kg/min i.v. and 3:1 N2O/O2 inhalation mixture a left thoracotomy was performed and two needle force probes were placed in the left ventricular wall to measure myocardial force of contraction. In the halothane group (n = 12) a Hall-effect sensor was placed on the anterior surface of the left ventricle, which in combination with a magnet on the posterior surface allowed measurements of left ventricular diameter. In the isoflurane group (n = 15) a Widney gauge was placed around the left ventricle to measure left ventricular circumference changes. The dogs were also monitored with left ventricular tip manometers, pulmonary arterial thermodilution catheters, and femoral arterial and venous catheters. Prior to surgery, in the halothane group 6 dogs were pretreated with nifedipine 6 mg/kg p.o. for 10 days; the other 6 served as controls. In the isoflurane group, 8 dogs were pretreated with nifedipine in the same way and 7 served as controls. Three hours after instrumentation baseline hemodynamic measurements were performed and repeated 15 min after adding 1 MAC and then 2 MAC halothane or isoflurane. Oral pretreatment with nifedipine caused vasodilation with a significant decrease in systemic vascular resistance (SVR) and mean arterial pressure (MAP); heart rate (HR) and dp/dt max were unchanged in comparison to the control group. The cardiac output (CO) increased. Halothane (1 MAC/2 MAC) had a dose-related circulatory depressant effect. This occurred to the same extent in both groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)