Esmolol prevents and suppresses arrhythmias during halothane anaesthesia in dogs.
The antiarrhythmic effect of esmolol, a selective beta 1 adrenoreceptor blocker, was evaluated in the presence of epinephrine induced arrhythmias in dogs (n = 6). The arrhythmogenic dose of epinephrine (ADE) during 1.2 MAC halothane in dogs was increased from 3.23 +/- 0.25 (mean +/- SD) to 30.90 +/- 3.56 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 (P less than 0.001) by the prior administration of esmolol 0.5 microgram.kg-1 bolus followed by an infusion at the rate of 150 micrograms.kg-1.min-1. Higher esmolol infusion doses of 200 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 further increased ADE to 99.0 +/- 2.92 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 (P less than 0.001). After discontinuation of esmolol and during continued halothane anaesthesia, ventricular tachycardia was induced by increasing the infusion rate of the 100 micrograms.ml-1 solution of epinephrine. In all dogs ventricular tachycardia was restored to sinus rhythm by a bolus dose of esmolol (1 microgram.kg-1). We conclude that esmolol pretreatment increases the ADE during halothane anaesthesia in dogs. Our data suggest that esmolol may be useful as an antiarrhythmic agent in the management of epinephrine-related ventricular arrhythmias during anaesthesia in man.
Department of Anesthesiology and Surgery, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, City University of New York, New York 10029.
I
I
Dimich
R
R
Lingham
J
J
Narang
I
I
Sampson
H
H
Shiang
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000769:Anesthesia, Inhalation; D000818:Animals; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D004285:Dogs; D004837:Epinephrine; D005260:Female; D006221:Halothane; D008297:Male; D011412:Propanolamines / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D011412:Propanolamines; C036604:esmolol; D006221:Halothane; D004837:Epinephrine