Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cardiovascular changes after administration of aerosolized salbutamol in horses: five cases.
- Journal:
- Acta veterinaria Scandinavica
- Year:
- 2014
- Authors:
- Casoni, Daniela et al.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
This study looked at five horses that were given inhaled salbutamol, a medication used to help with low oxygen levels during surgery. While the treatment was easy to administer and generally safe, it did cause some concerning heart issues, like a fast heartbeat and changes in blood pressure. The horses were under general anesthesia and received a mix of other medications to keep them stable. After the salbutamol was given, the veterinarians had to take extra steps to help the horses' hearts return to normal, but thankfully, there were no lasting problems for any of the horses. Overall, while the treatment had some immediate effects, it did not lead to any long-term harm.
Abstract
Prevention and treatment of intraoperative hypoxemia in horses is difficult and both efficacy and safety of therapeutic maneuvers have to be taken into account. Inhaled salbutamol has been suggested as treatment of hypoxia in horses during general anesthesia, due to safety and ease of the technique. The present report describes the occurrence of clinically relevant unwanted cardiovascular effects (i.e. tachycardia and blood pressure modifications) in 5 horses undergoing general anesthesia in dorsal recumbency after salbutamol inhalation. Balanced anesthesia based on inhalation of isoflurane in oxygen or oxygen and air and continuous rate infusion (CRI) of lidocaine, romifidine, or combination of lidocaine and guaifenesine and ketamine was provided. Supportive measures were necessary to restore normal cardiovascular function in all horses but no long-term adverse effects were noticed in any of the cases.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25124268/