Study objective: To evaluate the effect of different doses of the vasopressor angiotensin II on aortic diastolic and coronary perfusion pressures in a swine model of cardiac arrest.
Design: Immature swine were anesthetized and hemodynamically monitored, Ventricular fibrillation was induced; CPR was begun after ten minutes of ventricular fibrillation. Aortic and right atrial pressures were recorded continuously throughout the experiment.
Setting: Animal research laboratory.
Participants: Immature swine weighing 21 to 32 kg.
Interventions: Angiotensin II was administered in doses of 25, 50, 75, and 100 pg/kg at 13 minutes of ventricular fibrillation. Each dose was tested in four swine.
Results: Except for animals receiving 25 #g/kg, aortic diastolic pressure increased significantly in all groups after administration of angiotensin II compared with groups receiving CPR alone. Coronary perfusion pressure increased significantly only with 50-and 75-/.tg/kg doses. There were no significant differences in hemodynamic parameters among the different dose groups.
Conclusion: Angiotensin II in doses of 50, 75, and 100 ~/kg significantly increased aortic diastolic pressure, and doses of 50 and 75 ~/kg significantly increased coronary perfusion pressure in this model of cardiac arrest.