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Home / Equine Research Bank / Equine Vet J / Dobutamine improves haemodynamics and oxygen delivery in sta...
Equine veterinary journal2025; doi: 10.1111/evj.14488

Dobutamine improves haemodynamics and oxygen delivery in standing and isoflurane-anaesthetised horses.

Abstract: Dobutamine is a first-line therapy for hypotension in anaesthetised horses, but the effects on haemodynamic parameters in standing and anaesthetised horses are not well studied. Objective: To investigate the effects of dobutamine in escalating dosages on haemodynamic performance in awake and anaesthetised horses. Methods: Randomised cross-over experimental study. Methods: Six healthy adult horses were enrolled, including both standing and isoflurane-anaesthetised experiments with 1-week washout. Heart rate, mean arterial pressure (MAP), central venous pressure, pulmonary arterial pressure, and thermodilution cardiac output (CO) were measured at baseline and at dobutamine infusion rates of 0.5, 1, and 2 mcg/kg/min. Arterial and mixed-venous blood was sampled, and oxygen delivery (DO), oxygen extraction ratio (O ER), and fShunt were calculated. After confirming normal distribution, variables were compared with baseline and between groups using two-factorial ANOVA (alpha = 5%). Results: MAP increased significantly during dobutamine infusion in both groups (Standing 92 ± 8 to 119 ± 8 mmHg, p < 0.001; Anaesthetised 58 ± 12 to 91 ± 16 mmHg, p < 0.001), and was significantly higher in awake versus anaesthetised horses at all time points (p < 0.001). CO increased significantly during dobutamine infusion (Standing 39 ± 5 to 68 ± 5 L/min, p < 0.001; Anaesthetised 21 ± 2 to 38 ± 3 L/min, p < 0.001), and was significantly higher in standing horses (p < 0.001). DO (p < 0.001) increased significantly, and O ER (p < 0.001) decreased significantly in both groups with dobutamine infusion. FShunt (p = 0.02) decreased significantly during dobutamine infusion in anaesthetised horses. Conclusions: Small sample size; study performed in a lateral recumbency. Conclusions: Dobutamine produces a dose-dependent increase in CO and MAP and improves DO under standing and isoflurane-anaesthetised conditions. Dobutamine dosages of 2 mcg/kg/min reach standing baseline MAP and CO.
© 2025 The Author(s). Equine Veterinary Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of EVJ Ltd.
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Publication Date: 2025-03-07 PubMed ID: 40052197DOI: 10.1111/evj.14488Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This study explores the effects of dobutamine dosages on haemodynamic performance in awake and anaesthetised horses, finding that the drug effectively increases their cardiac output and mean arterial pressure, therefore improving oxygen delivery under various conditions.

Objective

The research was aimed at studying the effects of different dosages of dobutamine on the haemodynamic parameters of both standing and isoflurane-anaesthetised horses. Dobutamine is typically the primary treatment for hypotension in anaesthetised horses, but its impact on haemodynamic parameters has not been thoroughly explored previously.

Method

  • The researchers undertook a randomised cross-over experimental study. Six healthy adult horses were used in the experiment, with both standing and isoflurane-anaesthetised experiments being carried out with a washout period of one week.
  • The variables measured included the heart rate, mean arterial pressure (MAP), central venous pressure, pulmonary arterial pressure, and thermodilution cardiac output (CO).
  • These variables were measured at baseline and then again at dobutamine infusion rates of 0.5, 1, and 2 mcg/kg/min.
  • Blood samples were taken from the arterial and mixed-venous areas, and aspects like oxygen delivery (DO), oxygen extraction ratio (O ER), and fShunt were calculated.
  • The variables were then compared with the baseline and between groups through a two-factorial ANOVA, with alpha set at 5%.

Results

  • In both standing and anaesthetised horses, MAP showed a significant increase during dobutamine infusion.
  • CO also significantly improved during dobutamine infusion and was considerably high in standing horses in comparison to the anaesthetised ones.
  • DO considerably increased while O ER noticeably decreased in both standing and anaesthetised horses post dobutamine infusion.
  • fShunt declined significantly in anaesthetised horses under dobutamine.

Conclusions

  • The study demonstrates that a dose-dependent increase in cardiac output (CO) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) occurs with dobutamine, thereby improving oxygen delivery (DO) in both standing and isoflurane-anaesthetised horses.
  • The study was, however, limited by a small sample size and was conducted in a lateral recumbency.
  • The research results suggest that a dobutamine dosage of 2 mcg/kg/min can help reach standing baseline MAP and CO.

Cite This Article

APA
Gorenberg EB, Slack J, Stefanovski D, Theiss D, Hopster K. (2025). Dobutamine improves haemodynamics and oxygen delivery in standing and isoflurane-anaesthetised horses. Equine Vet J. https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.14488

Publication

Equine veterinary journal
ISSN: 2042-3306
NlmUniqueID: 0173320
Country: United States
Language: English

Researcher Affiliations

Gorenberg, Emma B
  • Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, USA.
Slack, JoAnn
  • Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, USA.
Stefanovski, Darko
  • Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, USA.
Theiss, DeAnna
  • Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, USA.
Hopster, Klaus
  • Department of Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, USA.

Grant Funding

  • 580-5805-1-400666-XXXX-2000-5333 / University of Pennsylvania

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