Effects of Hydralazine and High Molecular Weight Dextran upon the Circulatory Responses to Severe Thermal Burns

Abstract

The greatly depressed cardiac output observed in untreated burned dogs appears to be due to a combination of two factors: (1) a decrease in venous return to the heart associated with a decrease in effective circulating fluid volume and (2) an increase in peripheral resistance. This hypothesis is supported by the observations that administration of a peripheral vasodilator (hydralazine) and minimal fluid volume replacement (high molecular weight dextran in isotonic saline) restore the cardiac output to preburn levels by the fourth postburn hour.