Resistance and capacitance vessels in the nasal mucosa

Vernous blood flow from the mucosa of one nasal cavity and changes in nasal patency of the same cavity were simultaneously recorded in the cat. Information about responses evoked in resistance vessels (mainly small arteries and arterioles) and in capacitance vessels (mainly venous vessels ansd sinusoids) could thus be provided. Close arterially administered infusions of angiotensin, noradrenaline, adrenaline and dihydroergotamine elicited constrictions in the resistance as well as the capitance vessels. Analysis of the ratio of the resistance and the capacitance responses allowed an evaluation of the relative effectiveness of the drugs in constricting the two types of vessel.