Comparison of circulatory and respiratory effects of isoflurane and halothane anesthesia in horses.

Circulatory and respiratory effects of alveolar concentrations of 1.31, 1.97, and 2.62 vol% of isoflurane in oxygen were studied in eight young, healthy horses during spontaneous and controlled ventilation. These isoflurane concentrations were equivalent, respectively, to 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 times the minimal alveolar concentration of isoflurane, which prevents movement in horses in response to a standard pain stimulus. Results of the isoflurane studies were compared with similarly derived findings in these same horses during equipotent halothane in oxygen anesthesia. Isoflurane, similar to halothane, produced a dose-related depression of cardiovascular function which was less severe during spontaneous ventilation and associated hypercapnia. The two anesthetic agents produced similar circulatory effects during controlled ventilation and constant arterial carbon dioxide tension except for a significantly (P less than 0.05) less depressed cardiac output/kg of body weight and stroke volume that occurred with minimal alveolar concentration 1.5 and 2.0 isoflurane. Total peripheral resistance was greatest when these horses were anesthetized with halothane regardless of the alveolar dose. In horses, isoflurane was, in general, no more depressing than was halothane to circulatory and respiratory function.