The effect of plasma volume expansion on the response to carotid occlusion in the non-human primate.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of plasma volume expansion on the cardiac and peripheral components of the baroreceptor reflex. Nine male Rhesus monkeys were chronically instrumented to measure arterial pressure and aortic blood flow. The aortic arch was denervated at the time of surgery. Bilateral carotid artery occlusion (BCO) was used to elicit the carotid sinus reflex both before and after 25% plasma volume expansion with an iso-osmotic dextran solution. The BCO elicited significant increases in heart rate (HR, 29.8 +/- 5.3 bpm) mean arterial pressure (MAP, 55.0 +/- 8.2 mm Hg) and total peripheral resistance (TPR, 0.076 +/- 0.01 mm Hg/ml/min) coupled with a significant reduction in mean aortic flow (AF, -246.9 +/- 55.3 ml/min) and stroke volume (SV, -2.86 +/- 0.36 ml). Volume expansion significantly attenuated the HR (15.2 +/- 5.8 bpm), MAP (30.4 +/- 4.4 mm Hg) and TPR (0.036 +/- 0.006 mm Hg/ml/min) response to carotid sinus hypotension. The changes in mean AF and SV elicited by BCO, however, were not significantly different between the control and volume expansion conditions. These data suggest that plasma volume expansion significantly attenuates the baroreceptor reflex control of circulation with a similar reduction in both the peripheral resistance and heart rate components of the response.