European journal of anaesthesiology
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Etomidate was administered to six healthy volunteers by microprocessor controlled infusions, to generate three cycles of linearly increasing plasma levels, with an anticipated slope of 0.05 microgram ml-1 min-1. The infusions were stopped when a deep hypnotic state was obtained, as indicated by burst suppressions in the EEG. The infusions were restarted when the volunteers were fully orientated to person, place and time. ⋯ Pharmacokinetic analysis gave a volume for the central compartment of 50 +/- 11 litre, an apparent volume of distribution of 252 +/- 51 litre and a total clearance of 1693 +/- 504 ml min-1. Microprocessor controlled infusions can serve as a powerful tool for research in clinical pharmacology. The achievement of linearly increasing plasma levels of etomidate allowed further pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic modelling concepts to be realized.
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General anaesthesia and many types of acute respiratory failure are accompanied by a decrease in functional residual capacity (FRC). This reduction promotes closure of dependent airways and alveolar collapse, thus impeding ventilation of these regions. Perfusion, on the other hand, is forced towards dependent regions by lowered pulmonary vascular pressure and increased alveolar pressure. ⋯ Application of general positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) increases FRC and may improve gas exchange but cannot restore V/Q to normal. Differential ventilation, with equal distribution of ventilation between the lungs, and the application of PEEP solely to the dependent lung (selective PEEP) with the patient in the lateral position, improve V/Q matching and gas exchange with less impedance of cardiac output and less danger of barotrauma. This ventilation technique has proved successful in short-term experiments and in a small number of patients treated over several days.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical Trial
Neuromuscular block: atracurium and vecuronium compared and combined.
The neuromuscular blocking action of atracurium and vecuronium acting separately and in combination have been compared using the evoked EMG of the adductor pollicis muscle. Dose response curves have been drawn for the drugs given separately and found to be nonparallel (P less than 0.05). ⋯ The effect on neuromuscular transmission of a combined medication using equipotent doses of atracurium and vecuronium, determined from the dose response plots, was found to be greater than would be expected by addition of their separate actions. The combination of small doses resulted in significant neuromuscular blockade.
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Comparative Study
Cardiac arrest related to anaesthesia: a prospective survey in France (1978-1982).
This report analyses the rate, predisposing factors, causes and outcome of 119 cardiac arrests related (totally or partially) to anaesthesia which were collected in France by a national prospective survey performed between 1978 and 1982. The overall rate of cardiac arrests occurring during anaesthesia and recovery was 1 per 1665 anaesthetics, resulting in death, before the 24th postoperative hour, in 56% of cases, i.e. 1 per 2900 anaesthetics. ⋯ The last were mainly related to unrecognized postoperative respiratory depression and resulted in the highest mortality. Cardiac arrests were less frequent in private hospitals than in teaching hospitals but the mortality rate was higher.
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Animal experiments and clinical trials have shown that the neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) can be treated effectively by surfactant replacement via the airways. This treatment facilitates the resorption of fetal pulmonary fluid, promotes uniform air expansion of the lungs, enhances gas exchange, reduces the protein leak across the alveolar epithelium, and prevents the development of bronchiolar epithelial lesions during artificial ventilation. Data from recent animal experiments indicate that surfactant replacement prevents epithelial lung lesions also during high frequency ventilation. Surfactant replacement restores blood gases to normal in adult experimental animals with severe respiratory insufficiency induced by repeated lung lavage, suggesting that this type of treatment might be effective in clinical adult RDS.