title: Pharmacokinetics of medetomidine in ponies and elaboration of a medetomidine infusion regime which provides a constant level of sedation.
abstract: The pharmacokinetics of intravenous (i.v.) medetomidine (7 mcg kg(-1)) were best described by a two-compartment model in five ponies. Total body clearance was 4 (SD 0.60) 1 kg h,(-1)t(1/2alpha)7. 6 (0.91) minutes and t(1/2beta)51.3 (13.09) minutes. In one pony the one-compartmental model was best fit, and total body clearance was 4. 2 l kg h(-1)and t(1/2)was 11 minutes. Medetomidine plasma levels had fallen below the limits of quantification (0.05 ng ml(-1)) within 4 hours. Medetomidine 5 mcg kg(-1)i.v. followed by an infusion of 3.5 mcg kg h(-1)for two hours provided a constant level of sedation reaching steady state plasma medetomidine levels of 1-1.5 ng ml(-1)within 30 minutes. Sedation was reversed effectively by atipamezole (60 mcg kg(-1)) i.v. The pharmacokinetics of medetomidine make it suitable for prolonged use by infusion, such as is required as part of a total intravenous anaesthetic technique in horses.
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Surgery Clinic, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bettschart-Wolfensberger
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vainio
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Aliabadi
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Demuth
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006736:Horses / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D020926:Medetomidine; D013997:Time Factors; D014474:Unconsciousness / Q000139:chemically induced*
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D007093:Imidazoles; D020926:Medetomidine