Slowing of the heart during hypotension in major abdominal surgery

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Abstract
Heart rate (HR) and mean arterial blood pressure (MBP) were studied during abdomino‐perineal resections of the rectum under neurolept anesthesia in order to observe HR deviations due to hypovolcmic hypotcnsion. Of the 65 patients followed, 18 developed a systolic BP under 100 mmHg. Their blood loss (37 ± 9 ml/kg, mean ± s.e. mean) was higher than that of the normotensive control group (20 ± 2 ml/kg, PP) and blood transfusions amounted to 40 ± 8 versus 24 ± 2 ml/kg (PP<0.001). After MBP was restored to 94 ± 3 mmHg using volume repletion, HR increased to 95 ± 3 beats/min (P<0.001). The results demonstrated a temporary slowing of HR in anesthetized, bleeding and hypotensive patients.