Intraventricular blood pressures in the chicken

Abstract

Direct heart punctures were made in two groups of unanesthetized chickens to determine the left and right intraventricular blood pressures. One group was composed of nonlaying birds 28–30 weeks old and the other of laying hens 65–67 weeks of age. Heart rates and the respiratory influence on pressure were also measured. Average pressures obtained were 144/0 and 21/ - 1 mm Hg for the left and right ventricle, respectively. Respiratory efforts caused a mean fluctuation in systolic pressure of approximately 8 mm Hg in the left ventricle and 4 mm Hg in the right. With the exception of the right ventricular diastolic blood pressure, there were no significant pressure or pulse rate differences between the two groups. The heart rate and left ventricular pressure were found to be significantly correlated (P < .01) in both groups of birds.