Influence of Respiratory Acidosis on EGG and Pressor Responses to Epinephrine, Norepinephrine and Metaraminol.

Summary and Conclusions1. Sympathomimetic agents were administered to intact dogs under conditions of respiratory acidosis and at normal blood pH. Arterial pressure responses and electrocardiograms were obtained. In the presence of respiratory acidosis, the pressor responses were somewhat diminished and ECG abnormalities were absent or minimal as compared to the control state. 2. The same agents were administered to dogs subjected to total cardiac by-pass. Pressor responses under conditions of respiratory acidosis were uniformly much less in these animals than responses subsequently obtained in the same animals in which the arterial blood pH was at or near normal values.