Abstract
SUMMARY Forearm blood flow was measured by strain gauge plethysmography and arterial pressure by the auscultatory method of Riva-Rocci in nine unpremedicated subjects during the awake control period and for 7 min after intravenous injection of ketamine 2 mg/kg. Forearm blood flow showed a rise from a mean control value of 4.8 ml/1000 ml/min to 12.9 ml/100 ml/min at 7 min, with values in between these two figures in the intervening period. The mean arterial pressure also rose from a mean control value of 81 to 111 mm Hg at 2 min, after which it showed a slight fall to 103 mm Hg at the end of 7 min. The vascular resistance fell from the mean control figure of 19 to 9 units. Though a rise in catecholamine levels has been reported during ketamine anaesthesia, the rise in adrenaline levels is small and insignificant. The vasodilatation seen in this study could be an active cholinergic one, due to apprehension consequent to nightmares during ketamine anaesthesia. The absence of any rise in forearm blood flow in those four patients who were given ketamine during nitrous oxide-oxygen inhalation supports the latter view.
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