Hemodynamic effects of isoxsuprine and terbutaline in pregnant and nonpregnant sheep.

Nonpregnant and pregnant sheep at 110 to 140 days' gestation were chronically instrumented for measurement of mean arterial pressure, heart rate, cardiac output, common internal iliac artery blood flow, and middle uterine artery blood flow. Systemic and regional vascular resistances were calculated from pressure/flow data. Either isoxsuprine, 10 microgram/kg/min, or terbutaline, 0.40 microgram/kg/min, was infused continuously for a period of one hour. The above-mentioned parameters were monitored during control, infusion, and postinfusion periods. The findings show that: (a) isoxsuprine had greater effects on the mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and cardiac output than did terbutaline; (b) both agents had minimal effects on the common internal iliac artery blood flow of pregnant ewes, but isoxsuprine decreased the middle uterine artery blood flow significantly; and (c) with isoxsuprine, a marked vasodilatation occurred in the common internal iliac vascular bed of nonpregnant ewes, in contrast to the insignificant changes in the pregnant ewes. The conclusions drawn were that: (1) the more pronounced effects of isoxsuprine are most probably related to a greater beta 1 stimulation; (2) contiguous regional vascular beds respond differently to pharmacologic stimuli; and (3) the state of a given vascular bed during the resting state determines its response to vasoactive agents.