The short-term effects of 4 weeks of intensive yoga practice on physiological responses in six healthy adult female volunteers were measured using the maximal exercise treadmill test. Yoga practice involved daily morning and evening sessions of 90 minutes each. Pre- and post-yoga exercise performance was compared. Maximal work output (Wmax) for the group increased by 21%, with a significantly reduced level of oxygen consumption per unit work but without a concomitant significant change in heart rate. After intensive yoga training, at 154 Wmin(-1) (corresponding to Wmax of the pre-yoga maximal exercise test) participants could exercise more comfortably, with a significantly lower heart rate (p < 0.05), reduced minute ventilation (p < 0.05), reduced oxygen consumption per unit work (p < 0.05), and a significantly lower respiratory quotient (p < 0.05). The implications for the effect of intensive yoga on cardiorespiratory efficiency are discussed, with the suggestion that yoga has some transparently different quantifiable physiological effects to other exercises.

BACKGROUND This prospective randomized double-blind study was designed to compare the analgesic efficacy and safety of intrathecal midazolam and fentanyl as an additive agent to bupivacaine for lower abdominal elective surgeries. METHODS Sixty patients classified in American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classes I and II scheduled for lower abdominal surgeries were studied. Patients were randomly divided to receive either 12.5 mg hyperbaric bupivacaine plus 1mg midazolam (group BM, n=30) or 12.5 mg hyperbaric bupivacaine plus 25 μg fentanyl (group BF, n=30) intrathecal. RESULTS The time of onset and the duration of motor blockade were comparable among the groups while the time to sensory block regression was same in group BM and group BF. The duration of postoperative analgesia was similar in group BM and group BF. While it was same for group BM and BF. Symptoms of pruritus and vomiting was more in group BF. CONCLUSION We conclude that midazolam is as effective as fentanyl in prolonging the durations of both sensory block and analgesia with less side effects.

BACKGROUNDSpinal anaesthesia is the most commonly used technique for infraumbilical surgeries and it has some disadvantages, such as a short duration of motor blockade and post-operative analgesia. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of additive agents of fentanyl and magnesium sulphate along with Bupivacaine for prolongation of analgesia and motor blockade during spinal anaesthesia for infraumbilical surgeries.

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