Cardiovascular effects of acute and chronic inhalations of fluorocarbon 12 in rabbits.

The effects of inhaling fluorocarbon 12, a common propellant in household aerosols, were studied in closed-chested rabbits. Inhalation of 10 or 20% fluorocarbon 12 produced a decline in cardiac output and a dose-related depression of peak left ventricular (LV) dP/dt without associated arrthythmias, hypoxemia or significant changes in LV end-diastolicpressue or heart rate. There was a small decline in LV systolic pressure without a significant drop in mean arterial pressure. Breathing fluorocarbon 12 for 30 minutes caused a decline in peak LV dP/dt, cardiac output, LV systolic pressure and mean arterial pressure which was present throughout the exposure period. The effects observed during acute fluorocarbon 12 exposure were not altered by previous chronic, intermittent exposure to 10% fluorocarbon 12.