CARDIOVASCULAR EFFECTS OF ISOFLURANE AND HALOTHANE IN YOUNG AND ELDERLY ADULT PATIENTS

We have studied the cardiovascular effects of 1 MAC end-tidalconcentrations of halothane and isoflurane in young (n = 40)and elderly (n = 40) adult patients using non-invasive techniques.Cardiac output was measured by Doppler ultrasonography. Halothanereduced heart rate, systolic, mean and diastolic arterial pressuresand cardiac index in both age groups (P < 0.05). lsofluranereduced systolic, mean and diastolic arterial pressures also,but reduced cardiac index and heart rate only in the older patients(P < 0.05). Halothane depressed cardiovascular state significantlymore than isoflurane in the younger adults (P < 0.05), butcardiovascular depression was similar for the two agents inthe older age group. The decreases in systolic and diastolicpressures in the older patients were significantly greater withisoflurane compared with halothane (P < 0.05). (Br. J. Anaesth.1993; 71: 696–701)