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Anesth Analg 1983; 62:749-753
© 1983 International Anesthesia Research Society
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Comparison of Cardiovascular Effects of Thiopental and Pentobarbital at Equivalent Levels of CNS Depression

Charles Roesch, PhD, Kenneth A. Haselby, MD, Raymond R. Paradise, PhD, Gopal Krishna, MD, Stephen Dierdorf, MD, Thomas M. Wolfe, MD, and Chalapathi C. Rao, MD

Department of Anesthesia, Indiana University Medical Center, Indianapolis, Indiana 46223.

Abstract

Thiopental and pentobarbital have been used in high doses to protect the brain from injury following hypoxia or to reduce intracranial pressure. This study was performed to determine whether these barbiturates differ in cardiovascular effects when present in plasma concentrations that produce equivalent CNS effects. The effects of thiopental and pentobarbital on heart rate, stroke volume/kg, cardiac output/ kg, systemic vascular resistance, mean arterial pressure, and central venous pressure were statistically indistinguishable at plasma concentrations of each barbiturate ranging from 50% to 100% of their concentration producing EEG silence. Three of the seven dogs given thiopental developed ventricular bigeminy at plasma concentrations ranging from 45% to 65% of their concentration producing EEG silence. Lidocaine (1.4--2.0 mg/kg intravenously) reversed the bigeminy to sinus rhythm. When given more than the amount needed to produce a flat EEG, five of the seven dogs given thiopental died, but all dogs given pentobarbital survived. Pentobarbital may be a better choice than thiopental when large doses are indicated.

Key Words: ANESTHETICS, Intravenous: pentobarbital, thiopental.







Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins Anesthesia & Analgesia® is published for the International Anesthesia Research Society® by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins with the assistance of Stanford University Libraries' HighWire Press®. Copyright 2006 by the International Anesthesia Research Society. Online ISSN: 1526-7598   Print ISSN: 0003-2999 HighWire Press
Copyright © 1983 by the International Anesthesia Research Society.