EFFECTS OF BILATERAL VAGOTOMY ON BLOOD PRESSURE AND HEART RATE

Abstract

The effects of vagotomy on blood pressure in dogs are not dependent alone on cardiac reactions. In early stages of ether anesthesia vagotomy produces decreased blood pressure in only 12% of cases. In later stages the predominant response is a fall in blood pressure with, in the majority of cases, cardioacceleration. It is suggested that postvagotomy depression is due to removal of afferent vasotonic impulses. In a small percentage of a series of 115 animals, peripheral vagus stimulation produced cardioacceleration.