THE PROPHYLACTIC ACTION OF DESOXYCORTICOSTERONE IN SHOCK DUE TO MASSIVE VENOUS THROMBOSIS

Abstract

Exptl. massive venous occlusion of a leg led to a fall in blood pressure, a rise in hematocrit and an increase in the size of the leg amounting to 2.3-6.9% of the body wt. This resulted in death in 3 1/2-21 hrs. Only an occasional animal survived (2 of 15). The adm. of desoxycorticosterone acetate (DCA) over a period of 24 hrs. previous to, and during the first 24 hrs. after the onset of the venous occlusion prevented the development of the state of shock and the animals survived (8 of 11) despite a loss of fluid comparable to that in the control series. When the DCA was not given sufficiently early before the onset of venous occlusion, the picture of shock and the mortality were similar to those of the untreated animals (death occurred in 8 of 9). However, the avg. time of death was delayed somewhat and the loss of fluid was greater. Evidence is given to show that DCA decreases the rate of fluid loss due presumably to some action on the oncotic pressure of the blood. The action of DCA in preventing shock and the development of an irreversible state is due to some other mechanism in addition to its action on fluid loss from the blood. The nature of this action is not revealed by these studies.