Muscle relaxants; effects on respiratory and circulatory dynamics

There are exceptions and variations to the general clinical rule that muscle relaxants depress respiration and have no effect on circulation. Variation may be attributed to differences in animal species, in individual response, in muscle affected, in drug used and in dose employed. Conclusions about muscle relaxants derived from animal experiments cannot always be assumed to apply to man. The "respiratory sparing" action of a muscle relaxant cannot be relied upon in any individual patient. Facilities for adequate artificial respiration must always be available when any dose of any muscle relaxant drug is administered. Muscle relaxants affect circulation by inhibition of parasympathetic and sympathetic ganglia, by anticholinesterase activity and by release of histamine.