Sotalol for the protection of turkeys from the development of -aminopropionitrile-induced aortic ruptures.

1. The influence of feeding 2 levels of sotalol on the incidence of beta-aminopropionitrile (BAPN)-induced aortic ruptures of immature turkeys was determined.2. Four of 22 turkeys fed 0.12% sotalol and 0.07% BAPN died of aortic ruptures, but 6 of 21 turkeys fed only BAPN died of the syndrome.3. Blood pressure, heart rate, aortic tensile strength, and aortic structure as seen by light- and electron-microscope were similar in turkeys fed BAPN alone or both BAPN and 0.12% sotalol concurrently.4. In a second experiment, 13 of 24 turkeys fed 0.7% BAPN alone died of aortic ruptures, but only 2 of 24 turkeys fed BAPN and 0.2% sotalol concurrently died of the disease.5. Aortic tensile strength was lower, heart rate was faster, alterations of aortic elastic fibres as seen by light- and electron-microscope were more severe, and aortic salt soluble collagen with a higher amino acid content was increased in turkeys fed only BAPN, as compared to turkeys fed both BAPN and 0.2% sotalol.