The effects of reserpine on myocardial lesions in dogs subjected to hemorrhagic shock.

Anesthetized dogs were subjected to severe hemorrhagic hypotension, with blood pressure maintained at 35 mm Hg for 30 or 90 minutes. In these dogs myocardial zonal lesions were present and subendocardial hemorrhage and necrosis resulted. In two other groups of dogs, similarly subjected to hemorrhage but previously depleted of catecholamines by a 3-day regime of reserpine treatment, there was a markedly lower or no incidence of myocardia lesions.