[Controlled hypotension with ATP. Animal experiment studies in dogs]

Reliable efficacy and short half-time, combined with the absence of tachyphylaxis and reactive hypertension during and after controlled hypotension should be considered important factors in the use of hypotensive drugs. The vasodilating action of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) was investigated for deliberate hypotension in anaesthesized dogs. During a continuous infusion, in which the dose of ATP was increased from 1 mg/kg . min ATP to 5 mg/kg . min ATP, a stepwise decrease in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and systemic vascular resistance (SVR) could be observed (55%; p less than 0.001). Cardiac output and heart rate increased (p less than 0.05). The physiological intrapulmonary shunt remained unchanged during ATP infusion. ATP acts within 30 sec. and after the end of the infusion haemodynamic parameters returned to control levels within two minutes.