Changes in cardiac output and its distribution after non-haemorrhagic injury in the rat.

In the unanaesthetized rat cardiac output, measured by a thermodilution technique, fell rapidly following a 4h period of bilateral hind-limb ischaemia. There was a significant positive correlation between body temperature and total cardiac output after injury. There were also striking changes in the distribution of cardiac output; for example, hepatic artery flow was markedly increased, whereas splanchnic flow fell passively with the reduction in cardiac output. There were suggestions of regional differences in the reduction of blood flow within the brain.