Pulmonary and systemic vascular actions of tolazoline in anesthetized dogs

The cardiovascular actions of tolazoline are poorly understood. Therefore, we administered tolazoline (2 mg kg-1, IV) to anesthetized adult dogs and puppies. Tolazoline induced transient pulmonary and systemic pressor responses, transient systemic vasoconstriction and pulmonary vasodilation, and transient hypoxemia and acidosis in pentobarbital anesthetized dogs. None of these responses were evident during a second injection of tolazoline, indicating either the development of tachyphylaxis or a secondary antagonistic property of tolazoline. These responses to tolazoline were also prevented by alpha adrenergic blockade. Histamine H1 - and H2-receptor blockade sustained the transient pulmonary and systemic pressor and systemic vasoconstrictor responses to tolazoline. Thus, tolazoline appears to activate both alpha and histamine receptors in the pulmonary and systemic vascular beds of the anesthetized dog. In anesthetized puppies, tolazoline induced a slight pulmonary pressor response, marked bradycardia, and systemic hypertension. The present findings confirm the pharmacological complexity of tolazoline and suggest that anesthesia, age, and pulmonary vascular tone are important factors in determining the cardiovascular responses to tolazoline.