Adenosine for reversal of hemorrhagic shock in rabbits.

The potential use of adenosine in the treatment of hemorrhagic shock was evaluated in rabbits. Hemorrhagic shock was induced by bleeding the animals to a mean arterial blood pressure of 30-35 mmHg that was maintained for 2 hr. The intravenous infusion of 300 micrograms/kg/min adenosine for 1 hr, after reinfusion of the shed blood, was found to be capable of increasing the survival rate of rabbits subjected to hemorrhagic shock. In shocked rabbits, adenosine profoundly improved the postreinfusion depressed contractility of the heart, but it produced a decrease in the mean arterial blood pressure and heart rate. In the same animals, the plasma concentrations of glucose, lactate and inorganic phosphate, which were markedly elevated during shock, were returned back toward normal levels by the intravenous infusion of adenosine. Similarly the alteration that occurred in the plasma sodium, potassium and calcium levels during shock was corrected by adenosine. It is consequently concluded that the use of adenosine after shock improves tissue perfusion and enhances the functional recovery of cells by restoring their metabolic machinery and thereby improves the survival rate.