Halothane Aminophylline

Cardiac arrhythmias can develop during the concurrent use of halothane and aminophylline but this seems less likely with isoflu-rane. One report attributes seizures to an interaction between ketamine and aminophylline. Supraventricular tachycardia occurred in a patient taking aminophylline when pancuronium was given. Isolated cases suggest that the effects of pancuronium, but not vecuronium, can be opposed by aminophylline. 

A number of reports describe arrhythmias apparently due to an interaction between halothane and theophylline or aminophylline. One describes intraoperative arrhythmias in three out of 45 adult asthmatics who had received preoperative theophylline or aminophylline then halothane... 

Over a period of 9 years, tachycardia and extensor-type seizures were observed in 4 patients taking theophylline or aminophylline, who were initially anaesthetised with ketamine, and later with halothane or enllurane." Based on subsequent study in mice, the authors attributed the seizures to an interaction between ketamine and theophylline or aminophylline, and they suggest that the combination should perhaps be avoided in some, or antiseizure premedication be given to patients at risk. However, these cases come from one isolated report. Note that, in mice, ketamine had no effect on aminophylline-induced seizures. ... 

Roizen MF, Stevens WC. Multiform ventricular tachycardia due to the interaction of aminophylline and halothane. Anesth Analg (1978) 51, 738-41. 

Naito Y, Aral T, Miyake C. Severe arrhythmias due to the combined use of halothane and aminophylline in an asthmatic patient. JpnJAnesihesiol (1986) 35,1126-9. 

Bedger RC, Chang J-L, Larson CE, Bleyaert AL. Increased myocardial irritability with halothane and aminophylline. Anesth Prog (1980) 27, 34-6. 

Takaori M, Loehning RW. Ventricular arrhythmias induced by aminophylline during halothane anaesthesia in dogs. Can Anaesth Soc J (1967) 14, 79-86. 

Stirt JA, Berger JM, Roe SD, Ricker SM, Sullivan SF. Halothane-induced cardiac arrhythmias following administration of aminophylline in experimental animals. Anesth Analg (1981) 60,517-20. 

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