title: The maternal and fetal cardiovascular effects of epidural fentanyl in the sheep model.
abstract: Since the demonstration of opiate receptors in the spinal cord in the mid-1970s, investigators have been looking for the most effective epidural narcotic. With the use of the chronically catheterized maternal sheep model, we injected two different doses of preservative-free fentanyl (50 and 100 micrograms) into the epidural space. No statistically significant changes were observed, either in maternal or fetal arterial pressure and acid-base status or in maternal central venous pressure, systemic and pulmonary vascular resistance, cardiac output, and intrauterine pressure (p greater than 0.05). With a dose of 50 micrograms of fentanyl, maternal levels of fentanyl peaked at 60 minutes (50 pg/ml) and the fetal levels of fentanyl peaked at 45 minutes (20 pg/ml). With the 100 micrograms dose of fentanyl, maternal levels of fentanyl peaked at 45 minutes (230 pg/ml) and the fetal levels peaked at 15 minutes (110 pg/ml). We conclude that the injection of 50 and 100 micrograms of fentanyl into the maternal epidural space has no adverse effects on mother or fetus in the sheep model.
mesh_terms: D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005283:Fentanyl / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000187:drug effects; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D012756:Sheep
chemical_list: D005283:Fentanyl