Halothane Depresses Baroreflex Control of Heart Rate in Man

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Abstract
Baroreflex control of heart rate was determined during 3 awake control situations and during 2 depths of halothane anesthesia in man. Baroreflex function was quantitated by calculating the pressor test slope from the R-R interval change on the ECG produced by a pharmacologically induced pressor response. During the 3 awake control situations the subjects breathed room air or 100% O2 spontaneously or 100% O2 with ventilation controlled. Mean (.+-. SD) slopes obtained were 15.1 .+-. 4.5, 15.6 .+-. 6.8 and 18.4 .+-. 9.9, respectively. No significant difference in baroreflex function slope was observed. During light halothane anesthesia (0.7% end-tidal) baroreflex function was significantly depressed (mean slope = 2.5 .+-. 1.5), and it was abolished at 1.1% end-tidal halothane (mean slope = 0.03 .+-. 0.04). Halothane anesthesia probably produced depression of baroreflex control of heart rate in man.

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