REGIONAL HEMODYNAMIC AND ENDOCRINE EFFECTS OF ALDOSTERONE AND CORTISOL IN CONSCIOUS SHEEP - COMPARISON WITH THE EFFECTS OF CORTICOTROPIN

Abstract

We studied the cardiovascular responses to 5 days' infusion of aldosterone (10 micrograms/h) and cortisol (5 mg/h) to determine the possible contribution of mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid actions to the regional hemodynamic changes caused by corticotropin. These infusion rates produce plasma levels similar to those seen during corticotropin stimulation. In five conscious sheep aldosterone progressively increased mean arterial pressure (P < .001) to a maximum of 11 mm Hg on day 5, whereas cortisol increased pressure by 5 mm Hg (P < .01) within 24 hours. Cardiac outputs on the control day and on day 5 of infusion were 4.4 +/- 0.3 and 4.9 +/- 0.3 L/min, respectively, for aldosterone and 4..