Abstract
Cardiovascular and pulmonary effects of a new sedative/analgesic (medetomidine) as a preanaesthetic drug in the dog. A study was carried out to investigate the possible usefulness of medetomidine (Farmos Group, Turku, Finland) for premedication prior to general anaesthesia with thiopental sodium and halothane. The main emphasis was laid on the circulatory and respiratory effects of medetomidine. Dogs treated with xylazine (2 mg/kg) or placebo (physiological saline solution) served as controls. Medetomidine caused a decrease in blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate at all dose levels tested. These decreases were essentially dose -dependent, but there were great individual variations.
It is concluded that the drug can be useful for premedication at the lowest dose level tested (10 μ/kg). The sedative effect, however, is so strong that an even lower dose might be sufficient for the present purpose.
Keywords: anaesthesia, sedation, analgesia, thiopental.
Sammenfattning
Undersökningens syfte var att fastställa om medetomidin (Farmos group, Turku, Finland) kan användas till premedicinering inför allmän anestesi med tiopentalnatrium och halotan. Framför allt undersöktes medetomidinets cirkulatoriska och respiratoriska effekter. Hundar behandlade med xylazin (2 mg/kg) respektive placebo (fysiologisk koksaltlösning) användes som kontroller.
Medetomidin orsakade sänkning av blodtryck, hjärtfrekvens, och andningsfrekvens vid alla doseringar som testades. Dessa effekter var principiellt dosberoende, men det fanns stora individuella skillnader.
Medetomidin kan användas för premedicinering i den lägsta testade doseringen (10 µg/kg). Den sedativa effekten är emellertid så stark att en ännu lägre dos eventuellt skulle kunna vara tilräcklig för ändamålet.
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Acknowledgements
This study was supported by grants from Farmos group, Turku, Finland.
The skilful assistance of Ann-Marie Löfgren and Pia Funkquist during the studies is greatly appreciated.
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