SIMILARITY OF ACUTE HEMODYNAMIC RESPONSE TO l-EPINEPHRINE AND l-ARTERENOL

¹ Merck Institute for Therapeutic Research, Rahway, N. J.

No significant differences were observed between the acute changes in cardiac cycle length, aortic systolic and diastolic pressure, calculated stroke index, and carotid and femoral artery blood flows induced by equivalent doses of l-epinephrine and l-arterenol in anesthetized dogs. It was observed that blood flow patterns following the injection of either drug were influenced by the vasomotor status of the vessel bed prior to injection. The distortion of the flow pattern, more apparent than real, could be easily misinterpreted as indicating a difference in action between l-epinephrine and l-arterenol.