American journal of obstetrics and gynecology
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Pregnant sheep are more vulnerable to the toxic effects of bupivacaine, a potent local anesthetic, than are nonpregnant sheep. In contrast, ovine pregnancy does not enhance the toxicity of mepivacaine, a drug with properties similar to lidocaine. We studied the central nervous and cardiovascular toxicity of lidocaine in pregnant sheep receiving a continuous intravenous drug infusion at the rate of 2 mg/kg/min and compared our results with data previously obtained in nonpregnant ewes. ⋯ At circulatory collapse, these concentrations were 35.1 +/- 3.2 and 41.2 +/- 6.7 micrograms/ml, respectively. It appears that pregnancy does not enhance the toxic effects of lidocaine. These findings are similar to those for mepivacaine but not for bupivacaine, and may be related in part to differences in the way pregnancy affects serum protein binding of these drugs.
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Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. · May 1990
Scientific advances, societal trends, and the education and practice of obstetrician-gynecologists.
Specialization in medicine in the United States began in Colonial America and expanded rapidly, spurred by increasing scientific information and advancing technology. By 1972, when the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology instituted subspecialty divisions, it had become impossible for the general obstetrician-gynecologist to remain competent in all areas of our specialty. Changes we can anticipate are a decreasing need for operations and hospital care coupled with increasing emphasis on primary health care for women. Most of our resident education programs have not yet reflected the need to begin to prepare obstetrician-gynecologists for a role that will be quite different from their present one.