Pulmonary hemodynamics following experimental myocardial ischemia after the blockade of adrenergic receptors

In acute experiments in anesthetized rabbits the changes of the pulmonary hemodynamics following 60 s myocardial ischemia in the region of the descendent left coronary artery were studied in control animals and after the blockade of α-adrenoreceptors by phentolamine or β-adrenoreceptors by propranolol. Following myocardial ischemia in control animals the pulmonary artery pressure and flow decreased, the pulmonary vascular resistance did not change, the left atrial pressure elevated; the cardiac output decreased more than pulmonary artery flow. Following myocardial ischemia after the blockade of β-adrenoreceptors the pulmonary artery pressure decreased more than in control animals, the pulmonary artery flow was decreased in the same level as in the last case. The pulmonary vascular resistance was diminished, the left atrial pressure increased; the pulmonary artery flow and cardiac output decreased in the same level. Following myocardial ischemia after the blockade of β-adrenoreceptors the pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance decreased more than after the blockade of α-adrenoreceptors, the left atrial pressure did not change. In both cases the pulmonary artery flow decreased in the same level and its changes were correlated with venous return shifts. The differences of the pulmonary artery changes following myocardial ischemia after the blockade of α- and β-adrenoreceptors are caused not only the different pulmonary vascular resistance changes, but also the left atrial pressure.