title: Failure of norepinephrine to initiate porcine malignant hyperthermia.
abstract: Continuous intravenous infusion in pigs of norepinephrine, to blood concentrations of 140 ng.ml-1, provided a test of the hypothesis that this sympathetic hormone can initiate malignant hyperthermia (MH). This study was performed during nitrous oxide-pentobarbital anesthesia, and in part utilized sodium nitroprusside to maintain normal blood pressure and peripheral perfusion. Metabolic stimulation, or evidence of MH, did not occur in normal or susceptible pigs, as indicated by the lack of increase in both whole body O2 consumption and arterial lactate concentration. Next, in contrast, susceptible pigs manifested MH when exposed to halothane and succinylcholine, while normal pigs did not. We conclude that norepinephrine does not mediate or initiate porcine whole body stress responses characteristic of MH.
authors: Department of Anesthesiology, University of California-Davis 95616.
authors: G A
authors: GA
authors: Gronert
authors: D A
authors: DA
authors: White
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007773:Lactates / Q000097:blood; D008305:Malignant Hyperthermia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000494:pharmacology; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000187:drug effects; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D007773:Lactates; D009599:Nitroprusside; D009638:Norepinephrine