Positive inotropic effects of histamine in anaesthetized dogs

1 The cardiovascular effects of histamine were examined in dogs anaesthetized with pentobarbitone 2 The effect of histamine on heart rate, blood pressure, left ventricular pressure, dP/dtmax and dP/dt: IIT (integrated isometric tension) was compared in the presence and absence of autonomic reflexes and blood pressure control. 3 In innervated animals with no attempt to control blood pressure, histamine produced dose-dependent decreases in blood pressure and heart rate and either positive or negative inotropic actions. 4 When autonomic reflexes were abolished, this variability in inotropic response was reduced and histamine produced a slight positive inotropic response. There was a decrease in blood pressure and a positive chronotropic response to histamine. 5 When blood pressure was controlled and the cardiac nerves were intact, histamine produced a decrease in heart rate. However, in the denervated animals, there was a slight increase in heart rate. 6 Inotropic responses to histamine in the blood pressure controlled groups were less variable than when blood pressure was uncontrolled. In all of these animals there was an increase in contractility, the increase being more marked in the denervated group. 7 The H2-receptor agonist impromidine produced a positive inotropic action in intact animals with uncontrolled blood pressure.