The relationship between anaesthetic uptake and cardiac output.

Watt, S J; Cook, L B; Ohri, S; Lockwood, G G · Anaesthesia · 1996

case_series · Level IV

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Abstract

The hypothesis that anaesthetic uptake during maintenance of anaesthesia is related to cardiac output was tested on 21 patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Using a computer-controlled closed breathing system, enflurane was administered to maintain an end-expired concentration of 1%. Cardiac output was measured by thermodilution using a pulmonary artery catheter. A clear qualitative but not quantitative relationship was demonstrated. Changes in anaesthetic requirements at a constant end-expired concentration are a better guide to changes in cardiac output than changes in end-expired carbon dioxide with constant ventilation in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

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