Open AccessEffect of Dexmedetomidine, a Selective and Potent ??2-Agonist, on Cerebral Blood Flow and Oxygen Consumption During Halothane Anesthesia in Dogs
Author(s) -
Bente R. Karlsson,
M. Forsman,
O. K. Roald,
Mona Skard Heier,
Petter Andreas Steen
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
anesthesia and analgesia/anesthesia and analgesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.404
H-Index - 201
eISSN - 1526-7598
pISSN - 0003-2999
DOI - 10.1213/00000539-199008000-00003
Subject(s) - dexmedetomidine , halothane , medicine , anesthesia , cerebral blood flow , anesthetic , agonist , sedation , receptor
The effect of the alpha 2-agonist dexmedetomidine on the cerebral blood flow (CBF) and the metabolic rate for oxygen was studied by a sagittal sinus outflow technique in dogs during halothane anesthesia. Dexmedetomidine was given in a dose (10 micrograms/kg) reported to reduce the anesthetic requirement of halothane by 90%. During 0.9% halothane anesthesia dexmedetomidine caused a significant reduction in CBF without influencing the metabolic rate for oxygen. Reducing the halothane concentration to 0.1% caused no further change in CBF, but increased the metabolic rate for oxygen 19%. The cerebral vasoconstrictive effect, combined with the 90% reduction in MAC for halothane, indicates that dexmedetomidine might be a useful adjunct to inhalation anesthetics during neurosurgery in situations where an increase in CBF should be avoided.