Opiate receptors and endorphins in the pathophysiology of hemorrhagic shock

We investigated the hypothesis that endorphins released by stress act on opiate receptors to depress cardiovascular function during hemorrhagic shock. Anesthetized adult mongrel dogs were bled into a heparinized reservoir to achieve a mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 45 mm Hg. The reservoir was adjusted to maintain MAP for 1 hour and then clamped for 1 hour, at the end of which time the shed blood was reinfused. While the reservoir was clamped we treated the animals with an intravenous bolus followed by 3-hour infusion of either 0.9% NaCl (as control) or the specific opiate receptor antagonist naloxone at three dose regimens (0.5, 1, or 2 mg/kg plus 0.5, 1, or 2 mg/kg . hr). Naloxone produced dose-dependent increases in MAP, cardiac output, stroke volume, and left ventricular contractility. Survival at 72 hours was related to the dose of naloxone used. None of six dogs treated at 0 mg/kg . hr survived, one of six survived at 0.5 mg/kg . hr, four of five at 1 mg/kg . hr, and five of five at 2 mg/kg . hr. Since naloxone has minimal effect on cardiovascular function in nonshocked dogs, these results implicate opiate receptors and perhaps endorphins in the cardiovascular pathophysiology of hemorrhagic shock.