The effect of almitrine bismesylate on the steady-state responses of arterial chemoreceptors to CO2 and O2 in the cat.

The interaction between almitrine bismesylate, a pharmacological stimulant of peripheral chemoreceptors, and varying levels of oxygen (PO2 50-600 Torr) and carbon dioxide (PCO2 10-65 Torr) on steady state carotid chemoreceptor discharge was investigated in pentobarbitone-anaesthetised cats. Almitrine was given as constant intravenous (50 micrograms/kg per min for 4 min) and intracarotid infusions (4-16 micrograms/kg per min) at different levels of alveolar PO2 and PCO2. Almitrine always excited discharge. The intracarotid infusions at the lower infusion rate (4-8 micrograms/kg per min) and the i.v. infusions increased the slope of the isoxic response to CO2. This effect could be reversed by raising PO2 to high levels. Higher infusion rates of almitrine (16 micrograms/kg per min) displaced the CO2 response curve upwards but did not increase its slope above that obtained in control conditions at end-tidal PO2 of 50 Torr. However, as these higher infusion rates caused levels of discharge greater than those achieved during control conditions, their effects on control CO2 sensitivity could not be ascertained. Our results suggest that almitrine excites carotid body chemoreceptors by a mechanism similar to that of hypoxia and not like that of carbon dioxide.