Table 1.

Details of the pre-medication and anaesthetic protocols and the peri-and post-operative medications of the two groups of rats in whom an acute myocardial infarction (AMI) was created.

Anaesthesia Protocol	Group 1 (n =35)	Group 2 (n=40)
Inhalation Anaesthesia	Halothane (vaporizer)	Halothane (facial mask)
Dissociative Anaesthesia	Ketamine 12.5mg/kg IP	not given
Muscle Relaxant	Diazepam 1.25mg/kg IP	not given
Intraoperative Analgesic	Meperidine 5mg/kg IM	Meperidine 5mg/kg IM
Postoperative Analgesics	Morphine 1mg/kg SC,	Morphine 1mg/kg SC,
	three times per day	three times per day
	for 48 hours	for 48 hours
	Flunixin 2.5mg/kg SC,	Flunixin 2.5mg/kg SC,
	once a day for 48 hours	once a day for 48 hours
Antibiotic	Enrofloxacin 10mg/kg IM,	Enrofloxacin 10mg/kg IM,
	once daily for 4 days	once daily for 4 days
Anticholinergic*	Atropine 40μg/kg IM	Atropine 40μg/kg IM
Diuretic*	Furosemide 1-4mg/kg IM	Furosemide 1-4mg/kg IM
Positive Inotrope*	Adrenaline 0.04-0.2mg/kg IM	Adrenaline 0.04-0.2mg/kg IM

IM=intramuscular route of administration; IP= intraperitoneal route of administration; SC=subcutaneous route of administration; n=sample size.

(*) Rats which developed adverse cardio-respiratory and renal effects following the creation of an AMI were treated with atropine, furosemide and adrenaline, if necessary