Cardiovascular effects of cerebroventricular ouabain perfusion in the adult dog.

Cerebroventricular perfusion with artificial cerebrospinal fluid containing 10(-5) M ouabain was performed in adult dogs in order to describe the time course of the cardiovascular effect of intraventricular ouabain and to evaluate treatments to eliminate the cardiovascular effect. The central effect of ouabain caused a 56% increase in blood pressure above control values and a 35% increase in heart rate with various cardiac arrhythmias. Both alpha- and beta-adrenergic blocking drugs given intravenously.altered the pressure and rate effects ou ouabain, whereas vagotomy attenuated the effect.