Can Experimental Shock be Induced by Coronary Occlusion?

Abstract

The left ramus descendens anterior of the exposed hearts of dogs was ligated, arrhythmia was prevented by use of small doses of quinidine, and records of aortic, left atrial and right atrial pressures were repeatedly recorded by calibrated Gregg-type manometers for 5-7 hrs. Blood volume and cardiac output detns. were made in some animals. The results indicate that up to 7 hrs. there is no evidence, on the basis of an analysis of cardiac output, blood volume and pressure pulses that circulatory failure of peripheral origin supervenes in dogs after ligation of a major coronary branch. Comparison of cardiac output data obtained by the Fick method and the aortic pulse contour method showed sufficient disagreement to indicate that the latter method is not sufficiently accurate for quantitative evaluation of cardiac output, even when pressure pulses of normal contour and normal aortic pressures prevail.