American journal of veterinary research
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Cardiovascular and respiratory responses to variable PaO2 were measured in 6 horses anesthetized only with halothane during spontaneous (SV) and controlled (CV) ventilation. The minimal alveolar concentration (MAC) for halothane in oxygen was determined in each spontaneously breathing horse prior to establishing PaO2 study conditions--mean +/- SEM, 0.95 +/- 0.03 vol%. The PaO2 conditions of > 250, 120, 80, and 50 mm of Hg were studied in each horse anesthetized at 1.2 MAC of halothane and positioned in left lateral recumbency. ⋯ During SV, minute expired volume increased (P < 0.05) because respiratory frequency tended to increase as PaO2 decreased. Decrease in PaCO2 (P < 0.05) also accompanied these respiratory changes. Although oxygen utilization was nearly constant over all treatment periods, oxygen delivery decreased (P < 0.05) with decrease in PaO2, and was less (P < 0.05) during CV, compared with SV, for comparable PaO2 values.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)