title: Effect of pethidine premedication and halothane anaesthesia on upper limb blood flow.
abstract: Forearm blood flow (FBF), hand blood flow (HBF) and arterial pressure were measured in 12 patients, before and after premedication with pethidine and during halothane anaesthesia. After pethidine there was a significant (P less than 0.01) increase in HBF (180%) and decreased hand vascular resistance; heart rate also increased significantly (P less than 0.05), whilst mean arterial pressure (MAP) did not change. The large increase in HBF without hypotension suggests a local effect. With halothane, there was a significant (P less than 0.05) decrease in MAP, increase in HBF and decrease in hand vascular resistance compared with either control or effects produced by pethidine; there was a significant decrease in FBF and reversal of the action of pethidine on forearm vascular resistance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthetics, Royal College of Surgeons of England, London.
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Pauca
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000769:Anesthesia, Inhalation; D001132:Arm / Q000098:blood supply*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D006221:Halothane / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008614:Meperidine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011229:Preanesthetic Medication; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D008614:Meperidine; D006221:Halothane