Succinylcholine Chloride in Electroshock Therapy

IN PREVIOUS publications * observations on the clinical use of succinylcholine chloride and thiopental (Pentothal) sodium in electroshock therapy and the effects of these drugs on cardiovascular reactions have been reported. It was observed that anoxia was not seen in those patients in whom succinylcholine and thiopental were used together and who were given 100% oxygen during shock. Both the use of 100% oxygen and the abolition of muscular activity apparently play a part in preventing the development of anoxia during the apneic period. Because of these observations, we deemed it desirable to attempt to determine what effect premedication had on arterial oxygen saturation and oxygen consumption during electroshock. Although there have been studies † in which anoxia was demonstrated by analysis of arterial blood samples, no quantitative studies have been done relating arterial anoxia and oxygen consumption. It is the purpose of this paper to quantitate the amount of work