BLOOD-PRESSURE AND OTHER PHYSIOLOGICAL-RESPONSES IN AWAKE AND ANESTHETIZED GUINEA-PIGS

  • 1 March 1989
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 39  (2) , 142-148
Abstract
The effect of combinations of injectable anesthetics on mean arterial blood pressure, blood gases, heart rate and respiration of the guinea pig (NIH Outbred strain) was investigated. After a 30 minute period in which baseline resting cardiorespiratory measurements were obtained, five groups of six pigmented animals having indwelling carotid cannulas were anesthetized with (a) ketamine hydrochloride (30 /g/kg, im)/xylazine (5mg/kg, im); (b) sodium pentobarbital (15mg/kg, ip)/fentanyl-droperidol (0.4mg/kg, im); (c) diazepam (5 mg/kg, ip)/fentanyl citrate (0.32mg/kg, im); (d) diazepam (5mg/kg, ip)/alphaxalone-alphadolone acetate (45mg/kg, im); or (e) 1% .alpha.-chloralose-40% urethane (0.8ml/100g, ip). Animals were not respirated articially and no supplemental doses of anesthetic were given. REsting blood pressure in awake animals was measured over time for a long as cannulas remained patent (109 measurements). Mean resting blood pressure, for this strain of guinea pigs, was determined to be 53.1 .+-. 4.2mmHg. There was no indication that mean arterial blood pressure changed within age in animals varying in weight from 215g to 550g. Under diazepam/fentanyl, blood pressure rose significantly above resting level to a mean of 71.1 .+-. 6.1mmHg. With the other four combinations, blood pressure stabilized near, but below-pre-anesthesia levels (ketamine/xylazine 47.1 .+-. 6.8 mmHg; pentobartibital/fentanyl-droperidol, 46.9 .+-. 3.2mmHg; diazepam/alphaxalone-alphadolone, 47.8 .+-. 4.8mmHg; chloralose-urethane, 51l0 .+-. 1.2mmHg). Under diazepam/alphaxalone-alphadolone and chloralose-urethane, respiration was depressed and blood gas levels deviated from normal to the extent that artificial ventilation would be necessary to maintain an adequate physiological state.

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