ANGIOTENSIN AND THE CARDIAC BAROREFLEX RESPONSE TO PHENYLEPHRINE

1. In adult conscious sheep the pressor actions of infused angiotensin II were prevented by the concomitant intravenous infusions of sodium nitroprusside. The effect of such intravenous infusions of angiotensin II on the cardiac baroreflex response to transient rises in arterial pressure caused by intravenous phenylephrine was studied. 2. Intravenous infusion of angiotensin II caused a reduction in pulse interval in the absence of any change in arterial pressure. It also caused a reduction in baroreflex sensitivity measured by determining the relation between pulse interval and systolic pressure during the rise in pressure caused by injection of phenylephrine. 3. After administration of the converting enzyme inhibitor (captopril) the mean baroreflex sensitivity of 3 of 4 pregnant ewes increased. 4. It is concluded that high levels of angiotensin II can modify the cardiac baroreceptor reflex response so that the heart rate is inappropriately high for a given systolic pressure and that it reduces the sensitivity of the cardiac baroreflex response to transient changes in arterial pressure.