The role of vasopressin in the regional vascular responses evoked in the spontaneously breathing rat by systemic hypoxia.

AUTOR(ES)

Louwerse, A M

RESUMO

1. In spontaneously breathing rats anaesthetized with Saffan, we have investigated the role of vasopressin in the cardiovascular responses evoked by systemic hypoxia (breathing 8 or 6% O2 for 5 min). 2. Breathing 8% O2 evoked an increase in respiratory frequency and tidal volume; arterial O2 pressure (Pa,O2) fell to 37 mmHg and arterial CO2 pressure (Pa,CO2) fell to 30 mmHg. Concomitantly, there was a fall in arterial pressure, tachycardia and increases in femoral and renal vascular conductances indicating net vasodilatation in skeletal muscle and kidney. The vasopressin V1-receptor antagonist, d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)-arginine vasopressin (20 micrograms kg-1 i.v.), had no significant effect on the baseline values of any recorded variables, nor on the respiratory or blood gas changes evoked by 8% O2. However, it accentuated the fall in arterial pressure and the increase in femoral vascular conductance (+22 vs. +77% at the 5th minute) produced by 8% O2, but had no significant effect on the increase in renal vascular conductance. 3. Breathing 6% O2 evoked qualitatively similar responses as 8% O2 but Pa,O2 fell to 33 mmHg and Pa,CO2 fell to 28 mmHg and the respiratory and cardiovascular changes tended to be larger than those evoked by 8% O2. Again the V1-receptor antagonist accentuated the hypoxia-induced fall in arterial pressure and increase in femoral vascular conductance (+5 vs. +76% at the 5th minute). 4. Infusion of vasopressin (1.5 ng min-1 kg-1 i.v.) for 5 min with the aim of producing a plasma concentration comparable to that reached during 8% O2, induced a rise in arterial pressure (9%), bradycardia (-5%) and a decrease in femoral (-11%) and renal vascular conductance (-4%). 5. These results suggest that vasopressin released during hypocapnic hypoxia helps to limit the evoked fall in arterial pressure by exerting a vasoconstrictor influence on skeletal muscle.

Documentos Relacionados

• The roles of catecholamines in responses evoked in arterioles and venules of rat skeletal muscle by systemic hypoxia.
• The role of adenosine in dilator responses induced in arterioles and venules of rat skeletal muscle by systemic hypoxia.
• Analysis of responses observed in mesenteric microcirculation of the rat during systemic hypoxia.
• The influence of vasopressin on the arterioles and venules of skeletal muscle of the rat during systemic hypoxia.
• Responses observed in individual arterioles and venules of rat skeletal muscle during systemic hypoxia.