Cardiac and pulmonary function in regional intestinal shock.

After a two-hour period of regional intestinal shock (arterial inflow pressure 30 to 35 mm Hg; electrical stimulation of regional vasoconstrictor fibers at 6 Hz) a pronounced cardiovascular derangement is observed as reflected in a rapid fall in arterial blood pressure. In this study, central hemodynamics and lung function were investigated to elucidate if functional changes in the thoracic organs might explain the cardiovascular collapse. No alteration of pulmonary function was observed. A negative inotropic influence on the heart was, however, noted as judged by a decreased left ventricular stroke volume and left ventricular maximal pressure change in the face of an increased left ventricular end diastolic pressure. Based on earlier observations with the same shock model, it is proposed that the cardiac effects were caused by cardiotoxic material released from the hypoxic gut.