Local vasoactivity of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the right coronary circulation of the dog and pig.

1. Eight mongrel dogs were anaesthetized with sodium thiamylal and chloralose-urethane, ventilated, vagotomized and heparinized. Five Poland-China pigs were anaesthetized with sodium thiamylal and nitrous oxide, ventilated, vagotomized and heparinized. 2. Extracorporeal perfusion of the right coronary artery at constant pressure (100 mmHg) was instituted. A lung from a donor animal was interposed in the coronary perfusion circuit to effect changes in CO2 and O2 tensions in the coronary arterial blood while systemic blood gases were maintained at normal levels. 3. Local hypoxia (PO2 range 17-22 mmHg) produced a 25-75% decrease in coronary vascular resistance (P less than 0.05) and a 0-24% (not significant) decrease in right ventricular dP/dt. 4. Local changes in PCO2 over the range 8-105 mmHg were associated with a 17-58% decrease in coronary vascular resistance (P less than 0.05), a 19-24% decrease in right ventricular dP/dt (P less than 0.05) with no change in right ventricular end-diastolic pressure, and a 1-18% (not significant) decrease in heart rate. 5. These studies suggest that local decreases in O2 or increases in CO2 tensions produce decreases in right coronary vascular resistance that are in the opposite direction to those that would be expected from the observed changes in heart rate and contractility (two primary determinants of myocardial oxygen consumption). 6. These data support the hypothesis that CO2 and O2 are locally vasoactive in the coronary circulation.