[Blood cholinergic activity during ketamine anesthesia]

Blood cholinergic activity in ketamine anesthesia was studied through the acetylcholine level and activity of true and pseudocholinesterase on 30 patients during surgical interventions which were not very traumatic. Ketamine was found to increase acetylcholine blood level and activity of cholinergic enzymes in the blood due to the rise of parasympathetic nervous system tone and to the absence of depressing effect of the anesthetic upon the renal function.