CHANGES IN HEART WEIGHT AND BLOOD PRESSURE FOLLOWING AORTIC CONSTRICTION IN RATS

Abstract

Blood pressure measurements in the carotid and femoral arteries of rats after subdiaphragmatic aortic constriction, taken at times varying from immediately afterwards to five days after, indicate that increased carotid pressure precedes cardiac enlargement in these animals. The large drop in femoral blood pressure within the first few hours after aortic constriction seems to be due—at least partly—to stimulation of the pressoreceptors by the increased aortic–carotid pressure. Hypertrophy of the left ventricle can be demonstrated on the second day after constriction. The maximum height of carotid pressure obtainable after epinephrine injection rises with the time after constriction, while the rise over the preinjection value does not increase.