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Effects of continuous positive airway pressure on respiratory function in sedated foals
Author(s) -
Raidal Sharanne L.,
McKean Rosemary,
Ellul Paula A.,
Nielsen Sharon G.,
Quinn Christopher T.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of veterinary emergency and critical care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.886
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1476-4431
pISSN - 1479-3261
DOI - 10.1111/vec.12816
Subject(s) - medicine , continuous positive airway pressure , anesthesia , hypercapnia , respiratory system , respiratory rate , functional residual capacity , insufflation , lung volumes , acidosis , lung , blood pressure , heart rate , obstructive sleep apnea
Objective To characterize the effects of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) delivered by a commercial human CPAP device on respiratory function in foals with pharmacologically induced respiratory suppression. Design Prospective randomized, cross‐over study comparing CPAP with spontaneous respiration and oxygen insufflation. Setting University veterinary teaching hospital. Animals Twelve foals born in consecutive seasons from a university teaching herd. Interventions Foals were randomized to receive 10 minutes of respiratory support by mask oxygen supplementation or CPAP as a first treatment after induction of respiratory depression by intravenous administration of xylazine and fentanyl. Each foal received the alternate treatment after 10 minutes of breathing ambient air, and the procedure was repeated after 48 hours with treatment order reversed. Measurements and main results The administration of xylazine and fentanyl by bolus or continuous infusion reliably induced reversible respiratory suppression and recumbency. CPAP was associated with comparable increase in PaO 2 relative to mask oxygen supplementation, but with lower respiratory rate, increased oxygen extraction and increased carbon dioxide elimination. Mild increase in PaCO 2 was observed during CPAP and O 2 supplementation. Expiratory time increased and peak expiratory flow decreased during CPAP. Conclusions Findings of the study suggest that CPAP might represent a method for improved respiratory support compared to O 2 insufflation due to increased respiratory efficiency. Care must be taken in extrapolation of these findings from foals with pharmacologically induced respiratory compromise to foals with clinical respiratory disease, and further investigation is required to better characterize the cause and impact of marginal hypercapnia observed in these studies.