Atropine before Enflurane Anaesthesia: Effects on Cardiac Rhythm, Pulse Rate, Blood Pressure and Airway Secretion

The occurence of cardiac arrhythmias and changes in pulse rate and blood pressure during mask anaesthesia, with enflurane was investigated in 92 patients with special reference to the influence of atropine ((1.01 mg kg‐1 5 min before anaesthesia) and thiopental. The average duration of anaesthesia was a little less than 1 h in all four groups. More than five ventricular extrasystoles occurred in one patient (38 min after atropine). Supra ventricular (mainly nodal) arrhythmias were significantly (P < 0.005) more common in the atropine groups (15/45) than in the non‐atropine groups (4/47). Following atropine, heart rate increased by about 25 beats min‐1, whereas only very slight increases were seen in the non‐atropine groups. Blood pressure fell at the induction but was almost back to normal at the end of anaesthesia. Blood pressure was unaffected by atropine. Slightly lower values of blood pressure were suggested in the thiopental groups, whereas thiopental did not modify cardiac rhythm or pulse rate. Suction of the pharynx was necessary in only one patient. In conclusion, the present study does not support the routine administration of atropine before enflurane anaesthesia with or without thiopental induction.

[1]  W. Ryder,et al.  Halothane and enflurane in dental anaesthesia , 1981, Anaesthesia.

[2]  C. Wright.  Dysrhythmias during oral surgery , 1980, Anaesthesia.

[3]  S. Samra,et al.  INTERACTION OF VOLATILE ANESTHETICS AND ANTICHOLINERGICS , 1979 .

[4]  M. Pratila,et al.  Dysrhythmias and enflurane anesthesia. , 1979, The Mount Sinai journal of medicine, New York.

[5]  H. Williams,et al.  Cardiac arrhythmias during coronary-artery operations with halothane or enflurane anesthesia. , 1979, Anesthesiology.

[6]  M. Pratila,et al.  Anesthetic Agents and Cardiac Electromechanical Activity , 1978, Anesthesiology.

[7]  N. T. Smith,et al.  Cardiovascular Effects of Enflurane Anesthesia During Controlled Ventilation in Man , 1978, Anesthesia and analgesia.

[8]  N. T. Smith,et al.  Ventilatory and Cardiovascular Effects of Enflurane Anesthesia During Spontaneous Ventilation in Man , 1978, Anesthesia and analgesia.

[9]  J. Andersen,et al.  Arrhythmias During Halothane Anesthesia. III.: The Influence of Barbiturates , 1978, Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica.

[10]  P. Skovsted,et al.  Heart Rate Changes Caused by Enflurane and Halothane Anaesthesia in Man , 1978 .

[11]  J. L. Atlee,et al.  Atrioventricular Conduction Times and Atrioventricular Nodal Conductivity during Enflurane Anesthesia in Dogs , 1977, Anesthesiology.

[12]  J. Andersen,et al.  Arrhythmias During Halothane Anaesthesia II: The Influence of Atropine , 1977, Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica.

[13]  John Hamer,et al.  THE RHYTHM OF THE NORMAL HUMAN HEART , 1976, The Lancet.

[14]  R. R. Johnston,et al.  A comparative interaction of epinephrine with enflurane, isoflurane, and halothane in man. , 1976 .

[15]  M. Lippmann,et al.  Ventricular arrhythmias after epinephrine injection in enflurane and in halothane anesthesia. , 1975 .

[16]  J. L. Atlee,et al.  Halothane Depression of A-V Conduction Studied by Electrograms of the Bundle of His in Dogs , 1972, Anesthesiology.

[17]  B. Marshall,et al.  SOME PULMONARY AND CARDIOVASCULAR EFFECTS OF ENFLURANE (ETHRANE) ANAESTHESIA WITH VARYING Paco2 IN MAN , 1971 .

[18]  H. L. Price,et al.  The Effects of Short-acting Barbiturates on Arterial Pressure, Preganglionic Sympathetic Activity and Barostatic Reflexes , 1970, Anesthesiology.

[19]  L. E. Lamb,et al.  LESS COMMONLY RECOGNIZED ACTIONS OF ATROPINE ON CARDIAC RHYTHM , 1959, The American journal of the medical sciences.

[20]  F. N. Wilson.  THE PRODUCTION OF ATRIOVENTRICULAR RHYTHM IN MAN AFTER THE ADMINISTRATION OF ATROPIN , 1915 .