Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Jul 2003
The work, duties and prestige of Finnish anesthesiologists: patients' view.
Patients' awareness of the medical qualifications and duties of anesthesiologists outside the operating theatres may be limited. How are anesthesiologists ranked with regard to prestige and academic qualifications among other hospital employees? ⋯ Patients knew the medical qualification of anesthesiologists very well. The work of anesthesiologists was highly appreciated, but the duties outside the operation theatres were poorly known.
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Oct 2003
Neither vasopressin nor amiodarone improve CPR outcome in an animal model of hypothermic cardiac arrest.
Aim of this experimental animal study was to investigate the influence of vasopressin and amiodarone on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) outcome in a pig model of hypothermic cardiac arrest. ⋯ Data from this experimental animal model suggest that vasopressin and amiodarone may not be beneficial for treatment of ventricular fibrillation associated with severe hypothermia when concomitant measures at core rewarming are not applied.
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Mar 2003
Inhibitory effect of propofol on ketamine-induced c-Fos expression in the rat posterior cingulate and retrosplenial cortices is mediated by GABAA receptor activation.
Non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists, including ketamine, have psychotomimetic activities and cause neuronal damage in the posterior cingulate and retrosplenial cortices (PC/RS), which are suggested to be the brain regions responsible for their psychotomimetic activities. We previously demonstrated that ketamine induced marked c-Fos (c-fos protein) expression in the rat PC/RS, which was inhibited by propofol, and the expression was closely related to ketamine-induced abnormal behavior. In the present study, we investigated whether the inhibition by propofol was mediated by GABAA receptor receptor activation. ⋯ These results demonstrate that the inhibitory effect of propofol on ketamine-induced c-Fos expression in the PC/RS is mediated by GABAA receptor activation, and suggests that ketamine-induced psychoneuronal adverse effects may be suppressed by propofol via the activation of GABAA receptors.
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Mar 2003
A new short-acting non-depolarizing muscle relaxant (SZ1677) without cardiovascular side-effects.
In order to facilitate rapid tracheal intubation, the development of a rapid onset, short duration, non-depolarizing muscle relaxant without cardiovascular side-effects would be a significant accomplishment in the field of anesthesiology. The aim of the present study was to test the action of a new non-depolarizing muscle relaxant (SZ1677) on neuromuscular transmission, muscarinic (M2, M3) receptors and cardiovascular reactions and to compare it with clinically used muscle relaxants. ⋯ In experiments, SZ1677 proved to be a short-acting neuromuscular blocking compound having a large safety margin between the doses required to produce neuromuscular block and those likely to lead to cardiovascular side-effects.
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Ephedrine is one of the most commonly used non-catecholamine sympathomimetic agents. It is used in operating rooms and critical care settings worldwide. While it has many side effects, its ability to rapidly raise blood pressure makes it an ideal agent to maintain homeostasis as well as in emergency situations. While its effects are known to be mediated by an alpha-mediated mechanism, the exact alpha subtype is unknown. In addition, no studies using ephedrine have been performed in the pulmonary vascular bed of the cat. ⋯ Ephedrine has significant vasopressor activity in the pulmonary vascular bed of the cat meditated predominantly by alpha1 adrenergic receptor activation.