Role of renin-angiotensin system in cardiopulmonary bypass hypertension

Vasoactive Pressure Hormones during and after Cardiopulmonary Bypass

The differences in the pattern of the vasoactive hormone release in response to the stress of surgery and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) (pulsatile n = 15 and non pulsatile n = 23) were studied in the adult patients with mitral valve disease (MVD), aortic valve disease (AVD), and the coronary artery disease (CAD). A differential stimulation of the osmoreceptors, baroceptors, renin-angiotensin and the sympathetico-adrenal systems in these patients, resulted in the variations in the pattern of hormone release. Patients with MVD showed a greater stimulation of osmoreceptors, baroceptors and release of Arginine vasopressin (AVP). Renin-angiotensin system was more easily triggered in patients with AVD or CAD; and sympathetico-adrenal system in patients with CAD. The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis was better preserved in patients with CAD (r = 0.49, p < 0.001) than in the patients with MVD (r = 0.38, p < 0.02). Plasma renin release showed a significant correlation with noradrenaline release in the patients with MVD (r = 0.47, p < 0.01); but this relationship was lost in the patients with the CAD, due to an excessive noradrenaline release. Pulsatile bypass reduced but did not abolish this response. Under unfavourable conditions, the stress response may persist in the early post-operative period.

Comparison of the effect of venovenous versus venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation on renal blood flow in newborn lambs

Venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV ECMO) using double lumen catheters is an alternative to venoarterial (VA) ECMO and allows for total blood flow using the patient's cardiac output in comparison to partial blood flow provided during VA ECMO.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effects of VV versus VA ECMO on renal blood flow.

DESIGN

Prospective study.

SETTING

Research laboratory in a hospital.

SUBJECT

Newborn lambs 1-7 days of age (n = 15).

INTERVENTIONS

In anesthetized, ventilated lambs, femoral artery and vein were cannulated for monitoring and renal venous blood sampling. An ultrasonic flow probe was placed on the left renal artery for continuous renal blood flow measurements. Animals were randomly assigned to control (non-ECMO), VV ECMO and VA ECMO groups. After systemic heparinization, the animals were cannulated and studied at bypass flows of 120 mL/kg/min (partial bypass) for two hours in both ECMO groups and 200 mL/kg/min (full bypass) for an additional 30 min in the VA group. Changes in blood pressure and renal flow on ECMO and during ECMO bridge unclamping were recorded continuously. Plasma renin activity (PRA) levels were sequentially sampled.

RESULTS

Systemic blood pressure was not different in VV or VA ECMO at partial bypass flow. However, systemic blood pressure increased significantly at maximal bypass flow in the VA ECMO group. There was no change in renal flow in either VV or VA ECMO groups. PRA levels did not correlate with bypass flow change. During unclamping of the ECMO bridge, blood pressure and renal flow drop significantly in the VA group, but not in the VV group.

CONCLUSION

VV and VA ECMO at partial bypass flows had comparable effect on blood pressure, renal blood flow and PRA level in this short-term study. However, unclamping of the ECMO bridges did differentially affect blood pressure and renal blood flow between VV and VA groups. We speculate that this repeated acute change in long-run VA ECMO support may play a role in the persistent hypertension seen in some patients.

Angiotensin II concentrations and gut mucosal perfusion in infants undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) per se causes an increase in angiotensin II (A-II) concentration in infants and to investigate the relationship between A-II concentration and gut mucosal perfusion.

DESIGN

Prospective, open, nonrandomized, observational study.

SETTING

Children's teaching hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

Thirty acyanotic infants requiring CPB.

INTERVENTIONS

A-II concentrations were measured on six occasions before, during, and after CPB. An orogastric tonometer allowed intermittent calculations of gastric intramucosal pH (pHi). Gastric mucosal blood flow (flux) was monitored using a laser Doppler flowmeter. Ten infants acted as controls (group 1); 10 infants received captopril, 0.9 mg/kg orally, 45 minutes before induction of anesthesia (group 2), and 10 infants received enalaprilat, 0.06 mg/kg intravenously, just before CPB (group 3).

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

A-II concentrations were abnormally high in 28 of 30 patients before CPB (median, 450 pg/mL (range, 83 to 5,787 pg/mL). A-II concentrations in groups 1 and 2 decreased during CPB, but values remained at twice normal levels throughout surgery (median, 171 to 198 pg/mL post-CPB). A-II concentrations remained normal (range, 52 to 120 pg/mL) during and after CPB in patients receiving enalaprilat (group 3). The authors found no significant correlation between A-II concentration and pHi or flux before, during, or after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Acyanotic infants requiring cardiac surgery may have high perioperative concentrations of A-II. Hypothermic CPB is associated with a decrease in A-II concentration. Reductions in gut mucosal perfusion seen in some infants during hypothermic CPB are not related to increases in A-II concentrations.

Influence of Vasodilator Drugs on Perioperative Blood Pressure

Survey results are given of the incidence and the etiology of perioperative hypertension in patients sub jected to coronary artery surgery. Over the years, numer ous types of antihypertensives have been used for intravenous administration with the aim of preventing or treating perioperative hypertension. Nitrovasodilator compounds such as sodium nitroprusside and nitroglyc erin (NTG), a few calcium antagonists (nifedipine, nicar dipine and isradipine), the short-acting β-blocker esmo lol, clonidine, and the multifactorial compounds labetalol and ketanserin are discussed in detail. Perioperatively, there is an increasing level of plasma catecholamines, causing α-adrenoceptor stimulation. This indicates that α-adrenoceptor blockade with appropriate antagonists is a logical approach for the treatment of perioperative hypertension. For this reason, the multifactorial agent urapidil, which is an α-adrenoceptor blocker and a 5-HT1A agonist, is discussed extensively.

A randomized multicenter double-blind comparison of urapidil and ketanserin in hypertensive patients after coronary artery surgery

OBJECTIVES

To compare the hemodynamic responses, safety, and efficacy of urapidil and ketanserin in hypertensive patients after coronary artery surgery.

DESIGN

Randomized double-blind study.

SETTING

Multi-institutional.

PARTICIPANTS

One hundred twenty-two patients undergoing elective coronary artery surgery.

INTERVENTIONS

When hypertension (defined as mean arterial pressure > 85 mmHg) developed within the first 2 hours after arrival in the intensive care unit, patients received urapidil (n = 62) or ketanserin (n = 60) to reach a mean arterial pressure between 65 and 75 mmHg. Urapidil was administered by repeated bolus injections (25 to 125 mg) followed by a continuous infusion of maximally 50 micrograms/kg/min. Ketanserin was administered by repeated bolus injections (10 to 50 mg) followed by a continuous infusion of maximally 4.0 micrograms/kg/min.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

A complete hemodynamic profile was determined at baseline and at 30 and 60 minutes after start of study medication. In the urapidil group, mean arterial pressure (+/-SD) decreased significantly from 100.6 +/- 12.4 mmHg at baseline to 74.6 +/- 12.1 mmHg at 30 minutes and 73.5 +/- 13.8 mmHg at 60 minutes. In the ketanserin group, mean arterial pressure decreased significantly from 98.7 +/- 10.7 mmHg at baseline to 83.5 +/- 16.8 mmHg at 30 minutes and 83.1 +/- 15.3 mmHg at 60 minutes. Between the groups, there was a significant difference in the degree of lowering mean arterial pressure at 30 and 60 minutes. Heart rate increased significantly by 5.8 +/- 12.7 (30 minutes) and 8.6 +/- 16.5 (60 minutes) beats/min in the ketanserin group. In the urapidil group, no changes in heart rate occurred. Cardiac output increased to the same extent (0.7 L/min) in both groups. Within and between the groups, there were no relevant changes in pulmonary filling pressures. The number of patients not responding adequately to the study medication (mean arterial pressure > 85 mmHg after 30 minutes despite the maximum doses of study medication) was comparable in both groups (9 [U] v 13 [K]). Adverse events attributable to the study medication occurred to a similar degree in both groups. In the patients treated with urapidil, a significantly higher incidence (32.3%) of hypotension (mean arterial pressure < or = 65 mmHg for more than 10 minutes) occurred after 60 minutes of continuous infusion.

CONCLUSIONS

In contrast to ketanserin, urapidil did not increase heart rate. Urapidil was more effective in lowering arterial blood pressure than ketanserin. However, one third of the patients treated with urapidil developed hypotension after 60 minutes of continuous infusion.

Release of vasoactive substances during cardiopulmonary bypass

Cardiopulmonary bypass is associated with bleeding and thrombotic complications, massive fluid shifts, and cellular and hormonal defense reactions that are collectively termed "the whole body inflammatory response." A host of vasoactive substances are produced, released or altered during cardiopulmonary bypass. These hormones, autacoids, and cytokines react with specific receptor proteins distributed throughout the body, and mediate the vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cell contractions that are responsible for much of the morbidity associated with open heart operations. This essay briefly reviews the actions, sources, and perturbations of the approximately 25 vasoactive substances known or believed to be altered by cardiopulmonary bypass, and provides an introductory reference list.

Serotonin and acute cardiovascular disorders

In this survey the possible role of serotonin in such acute disorders as systemic and pulmonary hypertension following cardiac surgery is discussed. Although platelets are activated during cardiopulmonary bypass, the increase in serotonin plasma levels is limited because the serotonin released is taken up by normal platelets and endothelial cells. This does not imply that serotonin is not involved in the origin of systemic hypertension during and after cardiac surgery, because subthreshold or threshold doses of this amine amplify the vasoconstrictive effect of, for example, epinephrine and norepinephrine, the levels of which are significantly elevated under these circumstances. That serotonin plays a role through its amplifying effect is supported by the finding that ketanserin, a specific S2-serotonergic receptor antagonist with alpha 1-adrenergic receptor blocking properties, effectively lowers arterial blood pressure in patients with systemic postoperative hypertension by combined blockade of these receptors. The compound is also effective in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension after valve replacement, indicating that serotonin plays a role in the origin of this disorder. This idea is supported by the experimental finding that serotonin induces pulmonary hypertension. It is an interesting observation that, unlike such compounds as nitroprusside, ketanserin does not affect intrapulmonary shunting in patients with systemic hypertension and even reduces the intrapulmonary shunt fraction in patients with pulmonary hypertension. These findings indicate that this compound dilates the resistance vessels in well-ventilated, but not in poorly ventilated areas, and may dilate constricted bronchi.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Influence of ketanserin pretreatment on the haemodynamic responses to sternotomy

The effect of intravenous ketanserin on the pressor response to sternotomy was studied in 36 patients undergoing coronary artery surgery. Two doses of the drug (10 mg and 20 mg) were compared with a placebo injection of saline. After induction of anaesthesia, haemodynamic variables were measured until the institution of cardiopulmonary bypass. Plasma and platelet 5-hydroxyindoles and 5-hydroxytryptamine were measured in a subset of 13 patients. Ketanserin induced a dose-dependent amelioration of the pressor response to sternotomy. Plasma 5-hydroxyindoles and platelet 5-hydroxytryptamine levels did not correlate with clinical response. The increased effectiveness of the higher dose of ketanserin may be due to an effect other than serotonin antagonism.