Journal of clinical anesthesia
-
Editorial Comment Biography Historical Article
Was Einthoven a 21st century visionary?
-
To investigate the effects of different clinical induction techniques on heart rate variability (HRV). ⋯ In Study 1, the greater reduction in HRV with the thiopental sodium technique provides evidence that the depressant effects of anesthetics on HRV are related in part to their effects on cardiovascular reflexes. However, the significant depression in HRV caused by the etomidate technique suggests that mechanisms other than baroreflex depression (e.g., impaired consciousness) also are important in these depressant effects. In Study 2, the decrease in HRVHI caused by sufentanil documents that absolute power measurements of vagally mediated HRV are not correlated with changes in parasympathetic tone during a potent opioid induction. This lack of a correlation may result from the decrease in total HRV observed with loss of consciousness. The increase in %HRVHI suggests that normalized measurements of HRV may still provide an index of changes in sympathetic-parasympathetic balance, even when total HRV is decreased following anesthetic administration.
-
To examine the physical characteristics of 3-liter anesthesia rebreathing bags and assess their use for oxygen (O2) storage and delivery during transport of patients from the operating room (OR) to the recovery area. ⋯ It is feasible for anesthesia rebreathing bags distended with O2 to serve as lightweight, inexpensive, and easily monitored alternatives to O2 tanks for O2 delivery during transport of patients from the OR to the recovery area.