These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed


  • Title: Regional blood flow distribution during the Cushing response: alterations with adrenergic blockade.
    Author: van Wylen DG, D'Alecy LG.
    Journal: Am J Physiol; 1985 Jan; 248(1 Pt 2):H98-108. PubMed ID: 2857527.
    Abstract:
    Regional blood flow distribution (microspheres) and cardiac output (CO, thermal dilution) were measured during the Cushing response in unblocked (UB), beta-receptor-blocked (BB, 2 mg/kg propranolol iv), or alpha-receptor blocked (AB, 0.5 mg/kg + 0.5 mg X kg-1 X min-1 phentolamine iv) chloralose-anesthetized dogs. Intracranial pressure was increased to 150 mmHg by infusion of temperature-controlled artificial cerebrospinal fluid into the cisterna magna. Similar increases in mean arterial pressure were seen in UB and BB, but in AB a Cushing response could not be sustained. In UB, cerebral blood flow (CBF) decreased 50%, coronary blood flow (CoBF) increased 120%, and peripheral tissue blood flow was reduced only in the kidneys (18%) and the intestines (small 22%, large 35%). Blood flow to the other viscera, skin, and skeletal muscle was unchanged. CO (16%) and heart rate (HR, 38%) decreased, and total peripheral resistance (TPR, 68%) and stroke volume (SV, 38%) increased. In BB, CBF decreased 50%, CoBF decreased 20%, and blood flow was reduced 40-80% in all peripheral tissues. CO (69%) and HR (62%) decreased, TPR increased 366%, and SV was unchanged. We conclude that the Cushing response in UB animals combines an alpha-receptor-mediated vasoconstriction with a beta-receptor cardiac stimulation. The beta-mechanism is neither necessary nor sufficient for the hypertension. However, the combination of alpha- and beta-adrenergic mechanisms maintains cardiac output and peripheral tissue blood flow relatively constant while producing a systemic hypertension.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]