Here is your weekly assignment:
Please Email this assignment to your instructor. Your weekly discussion is assigned below the assignment.
Define the following:
2. Respiratory rate
3. Ventilation
4. Oxygenation
5. Heart rate
6. Blood pressure
Is heart rate and blood pressure the same? How are they different? How are they related?
What is the normal value for:
2. Tidal volume
3. Peak inspiratory pressure
4. Inspiratory time
5. Ventilatory rate
6. PaCO2
View the slide show on intubation. List 5 complications that can be associated with improper endotracheal intubation techniques.
Weekly Discussion:
What are the induction agents that you are most experienced with? In your own opinion, what do you feel would be the best induction agents for a "medically fragile" animal. In response to your peers, discuss why you agree or disagree with their response.
I'm used to seeing Ketamine, Valium, Midazolam, Propofol, being used as induction agents. For most of our fragile patients, Propofol is usually used. I think it's a good choice because it is short acting, can be used without another induction agent, and, even though it does have its share of side effects, if used properly, it proves to be one of the safer drugs to induct with.
That's great! What are some of the side effects you see with the use of Propofol?
@psnowRVT one of the major side effect I see often is respiratory depression. It's common to see a patient not go under enough, get a little more anesthetic and completely stop breathing. I've had some scares this way so I'm always prepared for this type of event
Ketamine, Midazolam, and Propofol are some of the induction agents that I am most comfortable and secure with. When it comes down to inducing patients in a fragile state, Propofol would often be of choice. Propofol can be used alone with no need of another agent. The recovery time for Propofol is rapid usually observed within the first 20 minutes, one of the reason why its used on fragile patients.
Back about 15 or so years, Propofol was just beginning to be used in the hospital I was in. I was fascinated because this drug did what the others didn't; allow the patient to not only recover more peacefully (as long as a good pre med was given) but allowed the patient to recover more rapidly.
Seeing the other drugs we use now, also gives me relief. For cats, I was used to ketamine being used all the time. I hated seeing the recovery process with that drug! The "Kitty magic" we mostly use, avoids having to use it at all and provides a much smoother recovery.
Great! What are the effects you see with the use of Ketamine?
@psnowRVT with ketamine, I see a lot of "fear type" behavior. It seems to create a psychosis of sorts because the pets I've seen recover from it, seem more afraid upon approach than one that used another drug. I notice a lot more banging of the head and more bouncing of the body also. When I look into a cats eyes upon recovery from ketamine, the pupils are large and the eyes themselves are wider
The way that Ketamine works is by functional disruption of the CNS t increases CSF, intracranial and intraocular pressures. One of the things that ketamine can cause due to CNS stimulation is seizures. One cardiovascular effect this medication has is it exerts a selective positive inotropic effect on the heart muscle. A respiratory effect is that it often decreases respiratory rate and may also decrease minute volume.