Pancuronium, d-tubocurarine, and epinephrine-induced arrhythmias during halothane anesthesia in dogs.

The authors studied the effects of pancuronium, 14--200 micrograms/kg, on epinephrine-induced arrhythmias (premature ventricular contractions) in dogs anesthetized with halothane, 1.4 MAC. Neither muscle relaxant significantly affected the arrhythmogenic dose of epinephrine. This finding indicates that the usual guidelines for the administration of epinephrine during halothane anesthesia are not affected by concomitant administration of the two nondepolarizing muscle relaxants studied.