Barbara L. Pegram

Systemic and Regional Hemodynamic Effects of Acute and Prolonged Treatment With Urapidil or Prazosin in Normotensive and Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

The regional and systemic hemodynamics of urapidil and prazosin were investigated after intravenous (1 mg/kg or 0.01 mg/kg, respectively) and prolonged (three weeks) oral treatment (20 mg/kg a day or 2 mg/kg a day, respectively) in normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats. Following intravenous administration, both urapidil and prazosin decreased mean arterial pressure, mediated through a decrease in total peripheral resistance and accompanied by a transient increase in heart rate in both strains. The changes in regional circulations were more widespread after urapidil, but of longer duration after prazosin. Prolonged administration of urapidil or prazosin resulted in a significant decrease in mean arterial pressure and total peripheral resistance only in SHR. With urapidil treatment, the decrease in vascular resistance was distributed throughout all circulations, with no change in heart rate or cardiac index. Heart rate increased in WKY rats and cardiac index increased in SHR following prazosin treatment. Cardiac mass remained unchanged following treatment with either drug.

DOCA-salt induced malignant hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

DOCA-salt hypertension was produced in 10 male 10-week-old normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats receiving deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA; 100 mg/kg, subcutaneous pellet) and 1% NaCl drinking water and was compared with data from 10 age- and sex-matched WKY receiving normal tap water (C). These data were also compared with spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats similarly treated. After 10 weeks on these programmes, systemic and regional haemodynamics were determined in conscious rats using microsphere techniques. DOCA-salt treatment increased mean arterial pressure (MAP), total peripheral resistance index (TPRI), cardiac and renal weights in both WKY and SHR. In contrast to SHR (C), the SHR (DOCA) demonstrated more severe MAP elevation (204 +/- 4 versus 185 +/- mmHg; P less than 0.01), more severe systemic and regional (especially renal) vasoconstriction, and malignant vasculitis associated with azotaemia and hyperuricaemia. The hyperuricaemia was related inversely to renal blood flow (r = -0.74; P less than 0.01) and directly to renal vasoconstriction (r = 0.65; P less than 0.05) in SHR (DOCA). These data suggest that in both WKY and SHR, DOCA and salt produced marked cardiovascular changes and SHR rats developed malignant hypertension.

Diltiazem maintains renal vasodilation without hyperfiltration in hypertension: Studies in essential hypertensive man and the spontaneously hypertensive rat

SummaryThe systemic and renal hemodynamic effects of diltiazem were determined in patients with mild to moderately severe essential hypertension and in rats with spontaneous hypertension (SHR). Seven patients were treated for one full year (300 mg/day, average dose) and 10 SHR and 10 normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats received 1 and 2 mg/ kg, intravenously. In both man and rat with genetic hypertension, arterial pressure was reduced through a fall in total peripheral resistance without associated reflexive increases in heart rate and cardiac index; and the patients demonstrated no change in plasma volume. In both man and the SHR: renal blood flow increased (in SHR not statistically significant) as arterial pressure and renal vascular resistance fell; glomerular filtration rate (GFR) remained unchanged and the filtration fraction (FF) significantly fell; and calculated intrarenal hemodynamic indices (using the Gomez formulae) demonstrated falls in afferent and efferent glomerular arteriolar pressures and resistances and in intraglomerular pressures, thereby explaining the unchanged GFRs and the decline in FF. These findings in both hypertensive man and rat are in contrast with those of the normotensive WKY that only demonstrated a fall in afferent glomerular arteriolar resistance. Thus, these data demonstrate that diltiazem controlled arterial pressure in both forms of genetic hypertension associated with falls in systemic and renal arteriolar resistances and with improved intrarenal hemodynamics without glomerular hyperfiltration.

Ventricular performance in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) with reduced cardiac mass

SummaryThis study was designed to investigate the effect of 4 weeks of captopril treatment on cardiac mass and performance in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Left (LV) and right (RV) ventricular mass of SHR and normotensive WKY rats was reduced (p<0.01). Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and total peripheral resistance index (TPRI) in the treated SHR and WKY were reduced; cardiac (CI) and stroke (SI) indices remained unaltered in SHR but increased in WKY. Ventricular performance (i.e., cardiac pumping ability), assessed by rapid blood infusion, did not differ between untreated SHR and WKY, and between treated and untreated WKY rats. However, the ventricular performance curves for the treated SHR shifted down and to the right from the untreated SHR (p<0.01). Moreover, when MAP of treated SHR (with regressed LV mass) was elevated to their pretreatment levels, cardiac performance curves shifted further rightward and downward. In contrast, the performance curves of treated WKY whose MAP was also elevated to the level of untreated WKY were no different from those of untreated WKY. These data demonstrate that captopril treatment (at doses used in this study) reduced MAP in SHR through decreased TPRI while decreasing biventricular mass. Furthermore, the cardiac-pumping ability of previously hypertrophied SHR hearts was reduced, suggesting that certain antihypertensive agents that diminish cardiac mass could produce impaired cardiac function when called upon to increase performance (e.g., when MAP is suddenly raised).

Hemodynamic comparison of diltiazem and TA-3090 in spontaneously hypertensive and normal Wistar-Kyoto rats.

Systemic and regional hemodynamic effects of 2 benzothiazepine derivatives, diltiazem and its congener TA-3090, were studied both acutely and chronically in spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. All hemodynamic data were obtained in the conscious state using the reference sample radiomicrosphere method. Mean arterial pressure was reduced significantly with both immediate and more long-term treatment with both drugs in the SHR. The hypotensive action of TA-3090 was about 3 times as potent as diltiazem. The pressure reduction with both drugs was associated with a decrease in total peripheral resistance. TA-3090 seemed to have lesser effect on heart rate than diltiazem, although its net effect on cardiac output was similar, remaining unchanged in each study group. After intravenous injection, both diltiazem and TA-3090 significantly reduced vascular resistances of the major target organs of hypertension: heart, brain and kidneys in SHR. However, with prolonged treatment, organ vascular resistances seemed to be nonuniformly distributed. Intrarenal hemodynamics revealed significant differences between SHR and WKY rats after intravenous diltiazem and prolonged treatment with TA-3090. Thus, efferent as well as afferent arteriolar resistance decreased and therefore calculated glomerular capillary hydrostatic pressure decreased in SHR; however, efferent resistance and glomerular pressure remained unchanged in WKY rats. In contrast, intravenous TA-3090 evoked no such differences. Thus, diltiazem as well as TA-3090 dilated efferent as well as afferent arterioles in the SHR but not in the WKY rats. This effect was associated with a reduction in glomerular capillary pressure, preventing glomerular hyperfiltration through efferent arteriolar dilation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Renal response to acute volume overload in conscious rats with atrial appendectomy.

The presence of volume receptors and a potent natriuretic factor (ANF) in mammalian cardiac atria strongly suggests a central role of the atria in extracellular fluid volume regulation. ANF is stored within granules in atrial appendages, and their removal could alter the response to volume overload. We tested this hypothesis in conscious Wistar rats two weeks after sham operative or atrial appendectomy. The results indicate that removal of the atrial appendages significantly reduced their urinary excretion of water, sodium and potassium during the first hour following acute volume overload. It is concluded that atrial appendectomy alters the ability of rats to handle acute volume overload possibly through a reduction in the ANF available for release.

Hemodynamic effects of prolonged treatment with diltiazem in conscious normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats.

To determine systemic and regional hemodynamic effects of prolonged treatment with the calcium antagonist diltiazem (30 mg/kg twice daily by gastric gavage, for 3 weeks), data from 12 Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and 10 spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats were compared with those obtained from 11 WKY and 10 SHR controls treated with the vehicle. Systemic and regional hemodynamics were determined in the conscious, unrestrained state using the reference sample microsphere method. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) decreased in SHR by 9% (183 +/- 4 to 167 +/- 4 mm Hg; p less than 0.05) but remained unchanged in WKY, while cardiac index (CI) tended to decrease in both strains; heart rate fell by 15% only in WKY (481 +/- 10 to 354 +/- 13 beats/min; p less than 0.05). Total peripheral resistance index (TPRI) tended to decrease in SHR but to increase in WKY. Organ blood flow in SHR decreased in skin and splanchnic organs, while organ vascular resistance decreased in brain and increased in splanchnic organs. In contrast, organ blood flow increased in heart and decreased in kidneys and skin of the WKY, while organ vascular resistance decreased in heart and increased in kidneys and skin. Thus, diltiazem produced nonuniform and different hemodynamic effects in the two strains. Further, diltiazem did not alter the cardiac mass in either rat strain. We therefore conclude that diltiazem demonstrated a mild hypotensive effect in SHR that was associated with slight reductions in CI and TPRI, the latter being nonuniformly distributed in the component organ circulations.

Atriopeptin III does not Alter Cardiac Performance in Rats

The effects of atriopeptin III (APIII) on systemic haemodynamics were examined in 12 anaesthetized rats. Five minutes following intravenous injection (i.v.) of 10 micrograms/kg APIII, cardiac output CO, measured by electromagnetic flowmetry, stroke volume and mean arterial pressure (MAP) decreased by 14, 13 and 8% (P less than 0.05), respectively, and total peripheral resistance (TPR) increased by 10% (P less than 0.05). Heart rate (HR) and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) did not change. In order to examine cardiac performance, whole blood was infused into three groups of 12 rats each receiving either no injection, APIII (10 micrograms/kg i.v.) or APIII (10 micrograms/kg i.v.) plus a continuous infusion of phenylephrine to increase MAP to pre-injection levels. Cardiac performance curves did not differ among the three groups. These data indicate that the immediate decreases in MAP and CO produced in rats by a maximum natriuretic bolus dose of APIII were not mediated by a negative myocardial inotropic effect.

Cardiovascular adjustment to antiadrenergic agents

A common target organ involvement associated with essential hypertension is left ventricular hypertrophy. A number of, but not all, effective antihypertensive drugs will regress left ventricular hypertrophy. Our attention has focused on the hemodynamic characteristics of those drugs that either directly or indirectly alter sympathetic nervous activity. alpha-Methyldopa has been widely studied in both experimental animals and hypertensive man and been found to be efficacious in lowering arterial pressure and regressing left ventricular hypertrophy. Another centrally acting antihypertensive drug, clonidine, produces similar hemodynamic effects but has no effect on left ventricular hypertrophy at similar hypotensive levels. Vasodilators such as hydralazine and minoxidil reflexly stimulate the sympathetic nervous system and may actually exacerbate left ventricular hypertrophy when given alone. In combination with beta adrenergic blocking agents, however, a reduction in both arterial pressure and cardiac mass may occur. Prolonged treatment with these antihypertensive agents had no detrimental effect on regional blood flows including myocardial flow. Ventricular performance studies indicate that regression of hypertrophy improves ventricular performance although the heart with regressed hypertrophy, when faced with an increased afterload, may still demonstrate impaired performance.

Urapidil in normotensive and spontaneously hypertensive rats: the effects on systemic and regional haemodynamics and cardiac mass.

The effects of treatment for three weeks with urapidil (10 mg/kg p.o. twice daily) on systemic and regional haemodynamics and cardiac mass were studied in normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Urapidil decreased mean arterial pressure and total peripheral resistance index (176 +/- 3 versus 145 +/- 5 mmHg and 0.61 +/- 0.02 versus 0.49 +/- 0.02 units, respectively; each P less than 0.01) in SHR without affecting heart rate, cardiac index or cardiac mass. No systemic haemodynamic changes were observed in WKY rats. All organ vascular resistances decreased significantly in SHR and blood flow increased to skin (P less than 0.01) and kidneys (P less than 0.05). These data indicate that urapidil is a potent antihypertensive agent in SHR which reduced mean arterial pressure through a decreased total peripheral resistance that was distributed throughout all circulations. Despite these haemodynamic changes, cardiac mass did not change.