Techniques to measure pharmacodynamics in the intact vasculature

Techniques are described for the intravenous, close intraarterial, or periv ascular delivery of drugs in conscious or anaesthetized animals. Examples o f the determination of pharmacodynamic parameters such as regional blood fl ow, large artery diameter, resistance, conductance, and blood pressure are given for conscious rabbits and anaesthetized dog preparations. An importan t issue is how to determine the direct vascular action of an injected drug in the light of rapid and powerful autonomic reflex buffering effects espec ially in healthy conscious animals. The methods of measurement of drug acti on on the baroreceptor-heart rate reflex and postural adaptation (900 tilt) reflex in the conscious rabbit are explained. Finally, the changes to larg e and small artery morphology are explored in the rabbit hindlimb following conduit femoral artery ligation to induce arteriogenesis and angiogenesis. This work aims to highlight approaches to exploring drug action in vivo, a much neglected skill in the repertoire of the modem cardiovascular pharmac ologist. (C) 2001 Elsevier science Inc. All rights reserved.