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EFFECT OF ANÆSTHETICS ON BARORECEPTOR REFLEXES
Author(s) -
Robertson J. D.,
Swan A. A. B.
Publication year - 1957
Publication title -
quarterly journal of experimental physiology and cognate medical sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.925
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1469-445X
pISSN - 0033-5541
DOI - 10.1113/expphysiol.1957.sp001226
Subject(s) - baroreceptor , carotid sinus , cats , anesthesia , denervation , blood pressure , inhalation , chemistry , reflex , medicine , heart rate
1. The carotid sinus in cats, isolated from the rest of the circulation but with its nerve supply intact, was perfused with ether and chloroform in various concentrations in buffered Tyrode solution. The increased sensitivity of the baroreceptors which these anæsthetics produce is great enough to cause reflex changes in systemic blood pressure and in heart rate under these conditions. 2. Perfusion with high concentrations of ether (300 mg. per cent W/V) and chloroform (100 mg. per cent W/V) rapidly inactivated the baroreceptors. 3. The fall in blood pressure produced by the sudden inhalation of ether, chloroform and trichlorethylene was recorded in cats before and after cutting the baroreceptors. The fall of pressure was greatly reduced in 7 of the 9 experiments by baroreceptor denervation, and it was concluded that increased sensitivity of the baroreceptors plays an important part in producing the cardiovascular changes that follow the rapid inhalation of these volatile anæsthetics.