ADENOSINE FOR REVERSAL OF HEMORRHAGIC-SHOCK IN RABBITS

The potential use of adenosine in the treatment of hemorrhagic shock w as evaluated in rabbits. Hemorrhagic shock was induced by bleeding the animals to a mean arterial blood pressure of 30-35 mmHg that was main tained for 2 hr. The intravenous infusion of 300 mu g/kg/min adenosine for I hr, after reinfusion of the shed blood, was found to be capable of increasing the survival rate of rabbits subjected to hemorrhagic s hock. In shocked rabbits, adenosine profoundly improved the postreinfu sion depressed contractility of the heart, but it produced a decrease in the mean arterial blood pressure and heart rate. In the same animal s, the plasma concentrations of glucose, lactate and inorganic phospha te, which were markedly elevated during shock, were returned back towa rd normal levels by the intravenous infusion of adenosine. Similarly t he alteration that occurred in the plasma sodium, potassium and calciu m levels during shock was corrected by adenosine. It is consequently c oncluded that the use of adenosine after shock improves tissue perfusi on and enhances the functional recovery of cells by restoring their me tabolic machinery and thereby improves the survival rate.