Peripheral circulatory responses to 96 hours of eucapnic hypoxia in conscious sheep

Conscious sheep acclimatizing to hypoxia (PaO2 40 mm Hg, PaCO2 24 mm Hg) respond with increases in cardiac output (Qco) and cerebral blood flow lasting for 24 and 48 h, respectively. Coronary flow increases in a sustained fashion, while there are progressive decreases in renal, splenic and pancreatic flows. In the present study, 5 adult ewes were exposed to similar levels of normobaric hypoxia (PaO2 40 mm Hg) but the PaCO2 was maintained at eucapnic levels (32 mm Hg). VE increased (+210%) while VO2 decreased by 35%. Ventilatory sensitivity to CO2 was unchanged. Qco (thermodilution) was elevated for 96 h (+20%) as stroke volume was maintained at normoxic levels and heart rate increased (+36%). Pulmonary artery pressure increased (+35%) along with plasma catecholamine levels (+116-196%). There were sustained elevations of cerebral flow (radiolabelled microspheres) from 79.1 (+/- 9.2 SEM) to 121.6 ml X min-1 X 100 g-1 (+/- 10.8), coronary flow from 183 (+/- 22.1) to 373 ml X min-1 X 100 g-1 (+/- 46.3), diaphragm flow (+400%) and intercostal muscle flow (+186%) with no apparent redistribution of Qco. Therefore, the cardiac and peripheral circulatory response patterns are altered significantly in eucapnic hypoxia. The rate of O2 delivery to brain and several abdominal viscera is higher.