Local anesthetics as pain therapy in horses.
This article describes the rationale behind the use of systemically administered lidocaine as an analgesic. The analgesic efficacy of intravenously administered lidocaine is well documented by studies in human patients and laboratory animals. The mechanism by which systemically administered lidocaine produces analgesia is uncertain but is thought to include action at sodium, calcium, and potassium channels and the N-methyl-D-aspartate acid receptor. In addition, the anti-inflammatory actions of lidocaine are important in producing analgesia because inflammatory mediators augment neuronal excitability. The available studies of systemically administered lidocaine in horses provide evidence for the analgesic and anesthetic effects of intravenous lidocaine in this species.
Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Tennessee, 2407 River Drive, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA. tdoherty@utk.edu
Thomas J
TJ
Doherty
M Reza
MR
Seddighi
D000771:Anesthesia, Intravenous / Q000662:veterinary; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000378:metabolism; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006736:Horses; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous / Q000662:veterinary; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D049990:Membrane Transport Modulators / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000378:metabolism
D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D015220:Calcium Channels; D049990:Membrane Transport Modulators; D015221:Potassium Channels; D015222:Sodium Channels; D008012:Lidocaine