Pulmonary haemodynamics during nasal apnoea in rabbits

Changes in pulmonary haemodynamics, produced during stimulation of the nasal mucosa with xylol fumes, were found in experiments on anaesthetized rabbits. In spontaneously breathing animals, a decrease in the mean blood pressure in the pulmonary artery and an increase in the mean blood pressure in the left atrium occurred in addition to apnoea and bradycardia. Pulmonary vascular resistance fell significantly, whereas systemic vascular resistance rose. Changes in the pulmonary circulation during nasal stimulation in spontaneously breathing rabbits did not differ significantly from changes in artifically ventilated animals.