Role of reflexes following myocardial necrobiosis

¹ Departments of Physiology and Pathology, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Intracoronary administration of hexachlorotetrafluorobutane (Hexa) into non-thoracotomized dogs produced a statistically significant decrease in left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), mean femoral arterial blood pressure (MFAP), first derivative of left ventricular pressure pulse (dP/dt), total peripheral resistance (TPR), and cardiac output (C.O.) lasting up to 1 hr after injection. Femoral vascular resistance decreased during the first 3 min after production of necrobiosis. Fifty percent of the dogs died of ventricular fibrillation (VF) after Hexa infarction. Prereserpinized dogs did not show significant changes in the parameters which were significantly changed in normal dogs after Hexa necrobiosis except in the case of VF which was almost absent in this group. Bilateral vagotomy prior to Hexa administration prevented most hemodynamic changes after necrobiosis whereas atropine did not. Bilateral vagotomy and atropine 1 hr after necrobiosis increased MFAP, dP/dt, LVSP, C.O., and TPR. Apparently excitatory efferent sympathetic activity on heart and femoral arterial vessels is reflexly inhibited by the effects of intracoronary injection of Hexa. The afferent pathway is via the vagus nerve.

Key Words: inhibitory reflexes • reflexes from necrobiotic myocardium • hexachlorotetrafluorobutane • acute hypotension after myocardial necrobiosis

Submitted on July 29, 1964

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