British journal of anaesthesia
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Arterial blood and expired gas samples were taken from 20 patients before operation and on the first day after upper abdominal surgery. After operation the patients were studied breathing air and also breathing 35% oxygen from a venturi-type mask. ⋯ The postoperative Pao2 during oxygen therapy correlated well with the postoperative Pao2 breathing air. Severely hypoxaemic patients show less improvement of oxygen tension during 35% oxygen therapy.
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The speed of onset of anaesthesia with Althesin has been compared with that of other intravenous anaesthetics. Like thiopentone, Althesin appears to be a truly rapidly acting drug, producing sleep in one arm-brain circulation time. The relative potencies of the drugs studied were approximately Althesin 60 mulitre/kg equivalent to thiopentone 4 mg/kg, equivalent to methohexitone 1.2 mg/kg, although by some criteria Althesin 80 mulitre/kg is required to produce an effect equivalent to thiopentone 4 mg/kg.
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We evaluated the effects of ephedrine, mephentermine, metaraminol, phenylephrine, methoxamine, noradrenaline and adrenaline on halothane anaesthetic requirement (MAC) in dogs. MAC increased significantly only during ephedrine infusion (50%) although significance was approached with mephentermine (21%). ⋯ Arterial pressure was increased 50-100% with all agents. Our results support the hypothesis that anaesthetic requirement may be related, in part, to release of brain noradrenaline.
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RX 72601, a new and potent anticholinesterase, has been evaluated for its ability to reverse the neuromuscular blockade induced by non-depolarizing muscle relaxants. In rats RX 72601 10 mug/kg i.v. proved effective in reversing the effects of alcuronium gallamine, pancuronium or tubocurarine and the drug exhibited a wide margin of safety. ⋯ In dogs and cats, effective anti-curare doses had little action on the cardiovascular or respiratory systems. Overall the results obtained indicate that RX 72601 may be a safe antagonist of non-depolarizing muscle relaxants and that it will be possible to use RX 72601 without prior administration of atropine.