Summary
Blood drawn from rats following convulsion produced by inhalation of flurothyl appeared to be hypocoagulable. Prothrombin times and partial thromboplastin times on plasma tested soon after convulsion were significantly prolonged, but euglobulin lysis times were greatly shortened (controls mean = 174 minutes, convulsed mean = 35 minutes, P <0.005). Several additional experiments were performed in an attempt to determine what component of the convulsive experience was responsible for the increased fibrinolysis. Flurothyl vapors passed through citrated rat blood in vitro did not alter the euglobulin lysis time. Rats paralyzed with gallamine triethiodide and supported by artificial ventilation were subjected to flurothyl vapors and the convulsion monitored by electroencephalography. Post-convulsion plasma from these animals had euglobulin lysis times that did not differ significantly from suitable controls. Rats convulsed in convulsion chambers with increased ambient oxygen percentage had shortened euglobulin lysis times similar to those convulsed in chambers containing room air. We believe these data eliminate both direct action of the drug on blood and a direct action through the central nervous system. The enhanced fibrinolytic activity may be secondary to the muscular activity or asphyxia associated with the convulsion.
