The entity of non occlusive mesenteric ischemia: strophanthin effect on mesenteric blood flow in experimental animals.

Digitalis glycosides have the well known positive inotropic effect on the heart. Their effect on extracardiac vascular smooth muscle receives increasing attention. In experimental animals a significant decrease in mesenteric blood flow and an increase in mesenteric vascular resistance could be shown. Angiography of main mesenteric arteries, smaller arteries, and arterioles reveal typical vasoconstriction. Angiomorphometric measurements show good correlation between the decrease in vascular diameter and the increase in vascular resistance.