Summary

# Editorial Summary Hypoxaemia during equine general anaesthesia remains a significant clinical challenge, particularly when standard interventions such as ventilator adjustments and inotropic support prove ineffective. This prospective trial evaluated whether inhaled albuterol, a β2-adrenergic agonist, could improve arterial oxygen tension (PaO2) in healthy, non-hypoxaemic anaesthetised horses receiving either moderate (FiO2 0.5) or high (FiO2 >0.95) inspired oxygen concentrations. Fourteen horses maintained on isoflurane anaesthesia with mechanical ventilation received either inhaled albuterol at 2 μg/kg (n=10) or no treatment (n=4), with PaO2 measurements taken at baseline and 10, 20, 30, and 40 minutes post-administration. Albuterol administration resulted in sustained elevation of PaO2 for the entire 40-minute observation period across both oxygen concentration groups, with only mild adverse effects (tachycardia and sweating) recorded. These findings suggest that inhaled albuterol warrants consideration as an adjunctive therapy for managing hypoxaemia in anaesthetised horses unresponsive to conventional management strategies, though the clinical significance of PaO2 improvements and optimal dosing schedules for longer procedures merit further investigation.

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Key Findings

• •Inhaled albuterol (2 μg/kg) increased PaO2 for at least 40 minutes after administration in anesthetized horses at both FiO2 0.5 and >0.95
• •Albuterol demonstrated benefit in healthy, nonhypoxemic anesthetized horses, suggesting potential preventive or therapeutic utility
• •Side effects were mild, consisting primarily of increased heart rate and sweating

Conditions Studied

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