The integrated response of the cardiovascular system to food

To obtain information about the integrated response of the cardiovascular system to food, cardiac output and regional blood flow (superior mesenteric artery, renal artery and calf blood flow) were measured in 14 normal young healthy subjects after an overnight fast and following a standard 800-kcal meal. Results were compared with 8 subjects who remained fasted throughout the study. Cardiac output increased from a mean (SEM) fasting value of 4.8 (0.3) l/min to a peak after 30 min of 6.1 (0.5) l/min (p < 0.001). Superior mesenteric blood flow increased from a fasting value of 463 (45) to a peak of 854 (110) ml/min also after 30 min (p < 0.001). These changes were accompanied by a significant fall in both systemic vascular resistance and superior mesenteric vascular resistance (p < 0.001). Only at the 15-min postprandial measurements was there a significant relationship between the increase in cardiac output and superior mesenteric artery blood flow (r = 0.62, p = 0.02). Calf blood flow increased and vascular resistance fell postprandially (p < 0.05), but there was little change in right renal artery blood flow. There was an insignificant fall in renal vascular resistance. Heart rate increased from a resting value of 65 (3) to a peak of 77 (4) beats/min after 15 and 30 min (p < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure fell postprandially with little change in systolic blood pressure. These results suggest that in healthy young subjects the increase in gut blood flow is met by an increase in cardiac output, with little evidence of redirection from other vascular beds. The early postprandial increase in superior mesenteric blood flow may account for the increase in cardiac output, although the magnitude of the change is much greater for cardiac output than superior mesenteric artery blood flow.