Abstract
The changes with growth in the intrinsic cardiovascular functions of piglets between the ages of 2 and 12 weeks were investigated by recording simultaneously the heart rate, femoral arterial pressure, right and left intraventricular pressure, left intraventricular dP/dt, aortic flow and stroke volume before and after autonomic blockade under anesthesia with halothane. The values in cardiovascular function increased with body weight through the growing stage examined in this study, regardless of autonomic blockade. The intrinsic cardiovascular function of piglets during the growth process was regulated sympathetically in all the parameters except for stroke volume, which might be regulated autonomically through the Frank-Starling mechanism rather than autonomic nervous system.
