Papers And Originals
Procaine in Malignant Hyperpyrexia
Br Med J 1972; 4 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.4.5839.526 (Published 02 December 1972) Cite this as: Br Med J 1972;4:526
- R. F. W. Moulds,
- M. A. Denborough
Abstract
The caffeine contracture of normal human muscle, which has been used as a model for malignant hyperpyrexia, is greatly potentiated by halothane. Prior administration of procaine markedly reduces the halothane-potentiated caffeine contracture, and procaine given at the height of the contracture induces relaxation. Lignocaine, on the other hand, produces a variable response and sometimes increases the contracture.
The muscle from a patient with an inherited susceptibility to malignant hyperpyrexia contracted spontaneously with halothane alone, and this contracture was reversed by procaine.
These experiments support the therapeutic use of procaine in malignant hyperpyrexia.