Mean circulatory filling pressure during splanchnic nerve stimulation and whole-body hypoxia in the anaesthetized cat.

1. Mean circulatory filling pressure (MCFP) was measured in cats under chloralose anaesthesia by obstruction of blood flow in the pulmonary artery. Pressures in the aorta, hepatic portal vein and right atrium were recorded, and MCFP was estimated from the value at which all three pressures became equal when blood was pumped from aorta to vena cava during circulatory arrest. Simultaneous equality was not attained at MCFP values below 5 mmHg. 2. In cats ventilated by positive pressure after administration of gallamine, MCFP was 9.7 +/- 0.3 mmHg (n = 14). The values of MCFP measured in six cats before and after administration of gallamine did not differ significantly. Change of blood volume altered MCFP linearly over the range 5-21 mmHg. Noradrenaline (7.5 micrograms kg-1 min-1) increased MCFP from 9.3 +/- 0.9 to 16.5 +/- 0.6 mmHg (n = 4), and phentolamine (2 mg kg-1) reduced it to 5.6 +/- 0.3 mmHg (n = 5). 3. Changes in MCFP were evoked at different circulating blood volumes by stimulation of the splanchnic sympathetic nerves and by whole-body hypoxia. Ablation of all splanchnic nerves reduced MCFP from 9.4 +/- 0.5 to 7.1 +/- 0.3 mmHg (n = 5) and stimulation of their distal ends at 10 Hz increased it by 4.1 +/- 0.4 mmHg (n = 4); similar increments were obtained at different blood volumes and initial values of MCFP. 4. Hypoxia increased MCFP by 0.23 mmHg per 1 mmHg fall in arterial oxygen tension below Pa,O2 56 mmHg (r = -0.86; n = 24). Similar increments were obtained at different blood volumes and initial values of MCFP. Ablation of all splanchnic nerves reduced the increments by 60%, and administration of phentolamine abolished them.