Sustained ventricular unloading action of the alpha-adrenergic antagonist nicergoline in the dog.

Preliminary studies indicate that nicergoline, a new alpha-antagonist, can lower HR at doses which decrease arterial BP. The present animal study was designed to quantitate the systemic and carotid (pulsed Doppler) hemodynamic and renin release consequences of nicergoline ventricular unloading, and to investigate the hemodynamic mechanisms of hypotension. In 11 anesthetized dogs, nicergoline infusion induced progressive, moderate, and prolonged hypotension associated with reduced vascular resistance and capacitance. Hypotension resulted from decreased HR and cardiac output, without an increase in plasma renin activity. The effects on carotid hemodynamics were less marked than those on the systemic circulation. Hypotension was caused primarily by vasoplegia, and was magnified subsequently by inhibition of the reflex rapid pressor control mechanisms. This suggests that repeated iv doses of nicergoline are preferable to prolonged infusion.

Systemic and carotid haemodynamics and plasma renin activity during deliberate hypotension in dogs: a comparison of sodium nitroprusside with nicergoline.

This study was designed to compare at the same level of hypotension (-30%) nitroprusside (SNP) and nicergoline (NIC) effects on systemic haemodynamics and carotid haemodynamics (pulsed Doppler) and on plasma renin activity (PRA) in 20 anaesthetized dogs before and at the 20th minute of hypotension. In SNP group (n = 9) cardiac output (CO) and heart rate (HR) increased. Stroke volume (SV), pulmonary wedge pressure (PWP), central venous pressure (CVP) and systemic vascular resistance (SVR) decreased. Common carotid diameter (D) increased and blood flow velocity (V) decreased with constant common carotid blood flow (CCBF). CCBF/CO ratio was unchanged. PRA levels increased. In NIC group (n = II), HR, CO, SV were unchanged and PWP, CVP, SVR decreased. D, V and CCBF were unchanged. CCBF/CO ratio increased and PRA was unchanged. NIC provoked mild hypotension without reflex sympathetic activation unlike SNP. Only SNP dilated large arteries. The autoregulation of CCBF is maintained with both drugs but CCBF/CO ratio is increased only with NIC.