Effects of doxorubicin (adriamycin) on systemic hemodynamics and myocardial blood flow

The effect of adriamycin (doxorubicin) on systemic hemodynamics was assessed in the anesthetized rabbit. Blood flow was measured by the radioactive microsphere method before and 20 min after adriamycin. Cardiac output and stroke volume fell significantly (p less than 0.05), while myocardial blood flow as a proportion of cardiac output and systemic vascular resistance rose significantly (p less than 0.05) after adriamycin. Systemic arterial blood pressure, heart rate, and total myocardial blood flow were not significantly altered. Thus, in the intact animal, adriamycin decreases cardiac output but not at the expense of coronary blood flow.