title: Cardiac function during halothane anf fluroxene anesthesia expressed by systolic time intervals.
abstract: A non-invasive method of measuring the systolic time intervals (STI) during anesthesia is described. Using the ratio between the pre-ejection period and the left ventricular ejection time (PEP/LVET-ratio) as an expression of cardiac function, it is shown in 39 patients that thiopentone exerted a marked depression on the heart (increase in PEP/LVET-ratio). This depression was further aggravated by halothane, while fluroxene caused an improvement of PEP/LVET-ratio. In the immediate post-anesthetic period PEP/LVET-ratio almost reached control value after discontinuation of fluroxene in contrast to halothane, where an increased PEP/LVET-ratio (25%) still persisted. The changes were mainly due to a prolongation of PEP without any specific change in LVET. During the study, PEP/LVET-ratio showed a close correlation to the reciprocal value of the square of the pre-ejection period (1/PEP-2). STI form 27 volunteers were measured and compared to the values from the patients before anesthesia was induced. PEP and PEP/LVET-ratio were significantly shorter in the patient group.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D003864:Depression, Chemical; D004987:Ethers / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006221:Halothane / Q000494:pharmacology; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004987:Ethers; D006221:Halothane