Cardiovascular profile and hypotensive mechanism of ketanserin in the rabbit

Using the radioactive microsphere technique, we studied the systemic and regional hemodynamic effects of ketanserin in conscious renal hypertensive rabbits. To characterize the hypotensive mechanism of the compound, we evaluated its antagonism toward 5-hydroxytryptamine2 and alpha 1-adrenergic receptors at hypotensive doses and compared the cardiovascular profile of ketanserin with that of the alpha 1-selective adrenergic receptor antagonist prazosin. Ketanserin (0.1, 0.3, and 1.0 mg/kg i.v.) produced a biphasic effect on the arterial blood pressure. A short, pronounced fall in blood pressure accompanied by tachycardia preceded a more moderate and longer lasting dose-related hypotensive effect. The presence of adequate autonomic nervous system activity seems to be required for the prolonged hypotensive action of ketanserin because, in animals pretreated with hexamethonium (30 mg/kg), the blood pressure, after an initial decrease, returned to baseline values within a few minutes after each ketanserin dose. Ketanserin inhibited the pressor responses produced by 5-hydroxytryptamine (10, 30, and 100 micrograms/kg i.v.) and phenylephrine (3, 10, and 30 micrograms/kg i.v.), which indicates that, at hypotensive doses, the compound antagonized both 5-hydroxytryptamine2 receptors and alpha 1-adrenergic receptors. At doses that caused a comparable degree of alpha 1-adrenergic receptor blockade, ketanserin (0.1, 0.3, and 1.0 mg/kg i.v.) as well as prazosin (0.01, 0.03, and 0.10 mg/kg i.v.) decreased the blood pressure as a result of a reduction in total peripheral resistance. While cardiac output increased, especially at the lower doses of ketanserin, a moderate decrease in this variable contributed to the hypotensive effect of the highest dose of prazosin. Both compounds decreased the vascular resistance in the kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, and bones, whereas that in the skin and skeletal muscles was not significantly altered. In contrast to prazosin, ketanserin also caused vasodilatation in the coronary and cerebral vascular beds.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)