Influence of gastrointestinal tract disease on pharmacokinetics of lidocaine after intravenous infusion in anesthetized horses

To determine the disposition of lidocaine after IV infusion in anesthetized horses undergoing exploratory laparotomy because of gastrointestinal tract disease. 11 horses (mean +/- SD, 10.3 +/- 7.4 years; 526 +/- 40 kg). Lidocaine hydrochloride (loading infusion, 1.3 mg/kg during a 15-minute period [87.5 microg/kg/min]; maintenance infusion, 50 microg/kg/min for 60 to 90 minutes) was administered IV to dorsally recumbent anesthetized horses. Blood samples were collected before and at fixed time points during and after lidocaine infusion for analysis of serum drug concentrations by use of liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Serum lidocaine concentrations were evaluated by use of standard noncompartmental analysis. Selected cardiopulmonary variables, including heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), arterial pH, PaCO2, and PaO2, were recorded. Recovery quality was assessed and recorded. Serum lidocaine concentrations paralleled administration, increasing rapidly with the initiation of the loading infusion and decreasing rapidly following discontinuation of the maintenance infusion. Mean +/- SD volume of distribution at steady state, total body clearance, and terminal half-life were 0.70 +/- 0.39 L/kg, 25 +/- 3 mL/kg/min, and 65 +/- 33 minutes, respectively. Cardiopulmonary variables were within reference ranges for horses anesthetized with inhalation anesthetics. Mean HR ranged from 36 +/- 1 beats/min to 43 +/- 9 beats/min, and mean MAP ranged from 74 +/- 18 mm Hg to 89 +/- 10 mm Hg. Recovery quality ranged from poor to excellent. Availability of pharmacokinetic data for horses with gastrointestinal tract disease will facilitate appropriate clinical dosing of lidocaine.