Relative importance of four pressoregulatory mechanisms after 10% bleeding in rabbits

Four physiological mechanisms are known to be important for recovery of arterial pressure (AP) after acute hemorrhage. These are the sino-aortic baroreflex (SA), the vagally mediated cardiopulmonary baroreflex (CP), the renin-angiotensin system (RA), and the vasopressin system (VP). We evaluated in anesthetized rabbits the relative importance of these mechanisms by repeating rapid, 10% arterial hemorrhage (6.5 ml/kg) once before and once after eliminating one of them and comparing the posthemorrhage hypotension. The study was conducted in two series. In the first series, we randomly grouped 24 rabbits into four groups, i.e., a sinoaortic baroreceptor-denervated group (SA) a vagotomized group (CP), a renin-angiotensin-blocked group (RA), and a vasopressin-blocked group (VP). In control conditions, AP fell to 88% at 2 min and 92% at 6 min after completing the hemorrhage. Significantly greater hypotension (e.g., 74% at 6 min) occurred only in the SA group. In the second series, we randomly classified 18 rabbits into three groups, i.e., an autonomic ganglion-blocked group (AB) plus a RA group and a VP group as before. Hypotension significantly greater than control (68% opposed to 91% at 6 min) occurred only in the AB group. We submit that as far as restoration of arterial pressure after rapid, mild hemorrhage in the rabbit is concerned, the arterial baroreceptor reflex system plays a far more important role than the vagally mediated cardiopulmonary baroreflex, the vasopressin system, or the renin-angiotensin system triggered directly by a fall in renal arterial pressure.