Cardiovascular and respiratory effects of tiletamine-zolazepam.

Abstract

The combination of tiletamine and zolazepam is an important dissociative anesthetic-tranquilizer. However, little is known about the effects of this combination on the heart and respiration in rats. Adult, male rats anesthetized with tiletamine-zolazepam alone or tiletamine-zolazepam combined with xylazine or butorphanol were evaluated for changes in heart rate, mean arterial blood pressure, arterial blood pH, and blood gases during a 75-min period of anesthesia. Rats anesthetized with tiletamine-zolazepam had increased mean arterial blood pressure and less respiratory depression than did rats anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital. Tiletamine-zolazepam combined with xylazine at either dose produced bradycardia and a marked hypotension that persisted throughout the 75-min period. This combination produced respiratory depression comparable to tiletamine-zolazepam alone. The addition of butorphanol to tiletamine-zolazepam caused a transient hypotension and bradycardia. Tiletamine-zolazepam plus butorphanol produced a mild to severe respiratory depression that was dose and time dependent. These results demonstrate that: a) Tiletamine-zolazepam is cardiostimulatory, a property consistent with the known cardiovascular effects of other dissociative anesthetics; b) xylazine plus tiletamine-zolazepam is a potent cardiovascular depressant combination; and c) tiletamine-zolazepam plus butorphanol at specific doses is an anesthetic-analgesic combination with minimal effects on cardiovascular and respiratory function.

• Authors: R P Wilson, I S Zagon, D R Larach, C M Lang
• Journal: Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior (Pharmacol Biochem Behav) Vol. 44 Issue 1 Pg. 1-8 (Jan 1993) ISSN: 0091-3057 [Print] United States
• PMID: 8430114 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Anesthetics, Dissociative
• Drug Combinations
• tiletamine, zolazepam drug combination
• Xylazine
• Tiletamine
• Zolazepam
• Butorphanol

Topics

• Anesthetics, Dissociative (pharmacology)
• Animals
• Blood Gas Analysis
• Blood Pressure (drug effects)
• Butorphanol (pharmacology)
• Drug Combinations
• Heart Rate (drug effects)
• Hemodynamics (drug effects)
• Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
• Male
• Rats
• Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• Respiration (drug effects)
• Tiletamine (pharmacology)
• Xylazine (pharmacology)
• Zolazepam (pharmacology)