Electrocardiographic assessment of capuchin monkeys (Sapajus apella) under chemical contention with midazolam and propofol

Abstract

Studies on electrocardiography in Sapajus apella are restricted in the scientific literature. Nonhuman primates can be sedated with benzodiazepine and after induced and maintained anesthetized with propofol. The objective of the present study was to description of the electrocardiographic findings in 18 capuchin monkeys (Sapajus apella) after sedation with midazolam and anesthesia with propofol. The interpretation of the ECG was performed by determining the following parameters: frequency (HR) and heart rhythm, electrical axis (°) P wave, R wave, T wave, QRS complex, P-R interval, Q-T interval and ST segment. The HR mean was 198,4 ± 22,9 bpm, the majority of monkeys had normal sinus rhythm, followed by normal sinus rhythm with wandering pacemaker. The most commonly observed electrical axis was between 60-90°. Intramuscular administration of midazolam, followed by a shortacting general anesthesia with propofol did not cause arrhythmias in electrocardiographic tracing and preserved the FC in the limits considered physiological for to specie. Consequently, there was a longer duration of the Q-T interval compared with previous studies that utilized only ketamine.