Effect of the thromboxane A2-receptor antagonists, SQ 29,548 and SQ 28,668, on the pulmonary hypertensive response to endotoxemia in swine.

The effects of two selective thromboxane (Tx) A2 antagonists (SQ 29,548 and SQ 28,668) on endotoxin-induced pulmonary hypertension were determined in anesthetized pigs. SQ 29,548 (10 micrograms/kg/min, i.v., n = 6) or vehicle (n = 7) was infused from 15 min before until 60 min after an intravenous infusion of Salmonella enteritidis endotoxin (1.0 microgram/kg). Within 20 min, vehicle-treated animals developed an acute 350 +/- 25% increase in pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) with a 43% survival rate. In the presence of SQ 29,548 this initial pulmonary vasoconstriction was absent and all animals survived. However, a delayed increase in PVR of 58 +/- 20% was detected. The primary manifestation of the increase in PVR was an increase in pulmonary arterial pressure. In a similar preparation, septicemia was produced by Escherichia coli endotoxin (0.5 microgram/kg, i.v.) and SQ 28,668 (3, 10, 30 or 100 micrograms/kg/min, i.v., n = 5-6 per dose level) and vehicle (n = 6) treatments were compared. SQ 28,668 doses of 30 and 100 micrograms/kg/min mitigated the early, but not late, increases in PVR. These data demonstrate that endotoxemia in pigs produces an initial TxA2-receptor-dependent vasoconstriction and also a more slowly developing pulmonary hypertension which is probably due to other mediators.