[Endocrine response to extracorporeal circulation]

The authors analyze the results of measuring the content of vasopressin, renin, angiotensin II and aldosterone coupled with the results of studying hemodynamics, acid-base state, and lactate in the arterial blood during operations on the heart in 32 patients with different acquired heart diseases. The main attention was concentrated on studies into the nature of humoral changes during extracorporeal circulation in three types of anesthesia. In group I, anesthesia was maintained by fentanyl given in a dose of 5-6 micrograms/kg/h, diazepam (0.1 mg/kg/h), and arduan (0.02 mg/kg/h). In the second observation group, at the beginning of perfusion the patients were administered trimetotan (artonad) (0.2 mg/kg), and in group III, the dose of fentanyl was raised during perfusion to 10-12 micrograms/kg/h. It is concluded that during extracorporeal circulation, it is desirable that the dose of fentanyl be increased to attain more adequate anesthesia in that period of heart surgery. The magnitude of humoral changes occurring in the body during extracorporeal circulation served as a criterion for anesthesia adequacy.