ABSTRACT
The experiments were designed to examine the respiratory, bronchopulmonary, and cardiovascular effects of the inhalation of trichloroethylene (TCE) and gog was selected as an animal species. As a general anesthetic, TCE in sufficient concentration is known to depress respiration. The cardiovascular actions consist of a depression of contractility of the isolated heart which has been known for some time, but there is no measurement of maximal rate of rise of left ventricular pressure in the intact heart. The administration of low concentrations of TCE in the lower respiratory tract leads to activation of vagal afferents which causes a fall in aortic blood pressure and tachycardia. The myocardial depressant effect of TCE, as indicated from the decrease in the maximal rate of rise of the left ventricular pressure, was observed with doses as low as 0.05%. It is evident that the most sensitive index of TCE effect is the decrease in myocardial contractility.
