Vasopressin is important for restoring cardiovascular homeostasis in fetal lambs subjected to hemorrhage

Abstract

To determine if the posterior pituitary hormone vasopressin is important for maintaining fetal cardiovascular homeostasis during hypovolemic stress, in seven chronically catheterized fetal lambs we induced hemorrhage of 20% of estimated blood volume in the presence and in the absence of a potent antagonist to the pressor effects of vasopressin. The study was a paired crossover design with at least 48 hours separating experiments in the same animal. Injection of the vasopressin antagonist did not alter basal fetal heart rate or arterial blood pressure, but hemorrhage of 2% of estimated fetal blood volume per minute for 10 minutes produced a greater fall in blood pressure (13 ± 2 versus 10 ± 2 torr, p < 0.05) when the blocker was present than when it was absent. Arterial blood pressure remained below control levels longer following hemorrhage when the fetuses were pretreated with the antagonist (49.7 ± 6 versus 26.6 ± 6 minutes, p < 0.01), and the integrated fall in arterial blood pressure with hemorrhage was greatest (283 ± 53 versus 169 ± 57 mm Hg · min p < 0.01) when the blocker was used. The fall in heart rate following hemorrhage was similar with and without blocker pretreatment. These results indicate that vasopressin plays a physiologic role in blood pressure regulation in fetal lambs during periods of hypovolemia.