IMMEDIATE EFFECTS OF RAPID HEMORRHAGE ON HEMODYNAMICS IN THE DOG

Abstract

Dogs were anesthetized by the intravenous injection of sodium pentobarbital. Viscosity, hematocrit, blood pressure, cardiac index, stroke output, cardiac output, heart rate, peripheral resistance, red blood cell count, blood volume/body surface area, cell volume/area, plasma volume/area, plasma protein, hemoglobin, specific gravity of whole blood, cell size, color index, and sedimentation rate were determined in 16 dogs, before and following hemorrhage, and in seven controls. The following points were demonstrated: following hemorrhage the viscosity, hematocrit, blood pressure, stroke output, minute output, blood volume, and cell volume were markedly decreased. The decrease in blood volume, by limiting the venous return, was probably the cause of the decreased minute output and fall in blood pressure; this, by reducing the capillary flow, deprived the tissues of an adequate supply of oxygen. There was no significant change in the heart rate. The total peripheral resistance (T.P.R.) was greatly increased. The fall in hematocrit indicates a hemodilution which was probably the main factor in reducing the viscosity. It would appear that the decreased blood volume was the primary cause of the fall in blood pressure following hemorrhage and that a lowering of viscosity was not a large factor. There was no significant change following hemorrhage in the cardiac index, color index, cell size, white cell count, specific gravity of plasma, or sedimentation rate.