Effect of Bilateral Occlusion of Common Carotid Arteries on Cardiac Output and Oxygen Content of Arterial and Venous Blood in the Anesthetized Dog

Abstract

Changes in cardiac output, mean arterial blood pressure, hematocrit ratio, and arterial and venous oxygen content resulting from bilateral carotid occlusion were investigated. Cardiac output exhibited no significant alteration during endosinusal hypotension, and the systemic hypertension engendered was attributed to an increase in vasomotor tone. Arterial and venous oxygen content, as well as hematocrit ratio, increased significantly during the period of carotid occlusion. This increase was ascribed to splenic contraction evoked by carotid occlusion, since no comparable augmentation was observed when the splenic circulation was temporarily interrupted.