Doses of epinephrine causing arrhythmia during enflurane, methoxyflurane and halothane anaesthesia in dogs.

The arrhythmogenic dosage of epinephrine, administered by constant intravenous infusion, was measured in five dogs during enflurane, methoxyflurane and halothane anaesthesia. While premature ventricular contractions were observed in only one of five dogs with enflurane and methoxyflurane, epinephrine-induced arrhythmias were seen in all animals during halothane anaesthesia. Epinephrine dosage and the resultant increase in mean arterial blood pressure at which arrhythmias occurred during halothane anaesthesia were significantly less (p less than 0.05) than with the other anaesthetics. These observations indicate that enflurane and methoxyflurane, as compared to halothane, possess relatively less arrhythmogenic potential as sensitizing agents in the presence of increased circulating catecholamines.