An Analysis of Remifentanil in the Pulmonary Vascular Bed of the Cat

• Published in: Anesthesia and analgesia Vol. 102; no. 1; pp. 118 - 123
• Main Authors: Kaye, Alan D, Baluch, Amir, Phelps, James, Baber, Syed R, Ibrahim, Ikhlass N, Hoover, Jason M, Zhang, Cuihua, Fields, Aaron
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hagerstown, MD International Anesthesia Research Society 01.01.2006; Lippincott
• Subjects: Anesthesia; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Cats; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Female; Lung - blood supply; Lung - drug effects; Lung - physiology; Male; Medical sciences; Piperidines - pharmacology; Pulmonary Circulation - drug effects; Pulmonary Circulation - physiology; Vascular Resistance - drug effects; Vascular Resistance - physiology; Vasodilation - drug effects; Vasodilation - physiology; Fissipedia; Agonist; Carnivora; Vertebrata; Mammalia; μ Opioid receptor; Cat; Opiates; Anesthesia; Sedative; Narcotic analgesic; Remifentanil
• ISSN: 0003-2999; 1526-7598
• DOI: 10.1213/01.ane.0000184826.02943.70

In this investigation we sought to identify the role of remifentanil in the feline pulmonary vascular bed. Using adult mongrel cats in separate experiments, the effects of glibenclamide (adenosine triphosphate-sensitive K channel blocker), diphenhydramine (histamine H1-receptor antagonist), L-N-(1-Iminoethyl) ornithine hydrochloride (nitric oxide synthase inhibitor), and naloxone (opioid receptor antagonist) were investigated in pulmonary arterial responses to remifentanil (opioid agonist), pinacidil (adenosine triphosphate-sensitive K channel activator), and bradykinin (nitric oxide synthase inducer). Under increased tone conditions in the isolated left lower lobe vascular bed of the cat, remifentanil induced a dose-dependent vasodepressor response that was not significantly altered after administration of glibenclamide and L-N-(1-Iminoethyl) ornithine hydrochloride. Responses to remifentanil were significantly attenuated after administration of diphenhydramine and naloxone. The results suggest that remifentanil has potent vasodepressor activity in the feline pulmonary vascular bed and that these responses are mediated by histamine and opioid receptor sensitive pathways.