Evaluation of the peripheral effects of cardiovascular drugs on the systemic and pulmonary circulation by using total artificial heart implanted animals

Abstract

The differentiation of cardiac and vascular effects of cardiovascular drug is not an easy task. The total artificial heart implanted animal is a good model, in which vascular effect of drugs can be evaluated under the awake unanesthetized condition, since any drug will not affect the artificial heart directly. This paper shows the pure peripheral effects of isoproterenol, dopamine, glucagon and acetylcholine during total artificial heart pumping in the awake, unanesthetized post operative calves.