The Impact of Four Different Classes of Anesthetics on the Mechanisms of Blood Pressure Regulation in Normotensive and Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats
Abstract
We studied the influence of four widely used anesthetics - pentobarbital (P), isoflurane (ISO), ketamine-xylazine (KX) and chloralose-urethane (CU) - on the participation of renin-angiotensin system (RAS), sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and nitric oxide (NO) in BP maintenance. In conclusion, pentobarbital anesthesia had a modest influence on BP level and its maintenance by the above vasoactive systems.
Isoflurane and chloralose-urethane anesthesia may be used in cardiovascular experiments if substantial BP decrease due to altered contribution of RAS, SNS and NO to BP regulation does not interfere with the respective research aim. Major BP reduction (namely in SHR) due to a complete SNS absence is a major drawback of ketamine-xylazine anesthesia