Studies of Pulmonary Vessels1

Abstract

The study of the pulmonary vessels presents numerous difficulties, even in open chest experiments, because these vessels are placed between the right and the left heart. Therefore, changes of flow and pressure due to changes of right or left cardiac function are reflected by passive changes in caliber of the pulmonary vessels. The effect of drugs or nerve stimuli on the vessels of the lungs themselves is further complicated by the weakness of their musculature and by the fact that the pulmonary capillaries may be distended through either dilatation of the arterioles or contraction of the venules.In order to study changes of filling of the lung vessels, the following technique was employed:1. Right heart catheterization through a jugular vein and penetration of the catheter into the main pulmonary artery.2. Left heart catheterization through a femoral artery and penetration into the left atrium.3. Placement of a third catheter into the other femoral artery for recording peripheral pressure. 4. Opening of the chest following tracheotomy and artificial respiration. Placement of a pulmonary lobe between a photocell and a source of light. 5. Permanent distention of the lungs with a continuous jet of oxygen (or air) reaching the bifurcation of the trachea through a catheter. In later experiments, artificial respiration with air was continued throughout the experiment and the lobe under study was kept distended with a jet of nitrogen. 6. Use of one strain-gage and two electromanometers for recording pressures, and use of a chopper-amplifier connected to the photocell. 7. Use of a Sanborn Polyviso with direct-writing tracings recorded at a speed of 1 mm/sec. 8. Injection of drugs through cannulation of the right jugular vein. ACTION OF DRUGS ON THE PULMONARY VESSELSWith the above described method, the effects of 42 injections of drugs have been studied in 9 successful animal experiments. The drugs were:(a) Epinephrine in doses from 0.1 to 1 mg. (b) Nor-1-epinephrine in doses from 0.2 to 3 mg. (c) Histamin in doses from 1 to 5 mg. (d) Acetylcholine in doses from 2 to 5 mg. (e) Serotonin in doses from 2 to 15 mg.Isolated experiments have been made also with pitressin, peptone, and choledyl.

Epinephrine and norepinephrine actions and use in man

“…These results are in agreement with those observed in the dog. 62 In this connection it might be recalled that the small pulmonary vessels have a scanty vasomotor supply as judged by the oontent of norepinephrine, while the large vessels have a rather higher content, suggesting a stronger reaction. 33 Effect on the veins.…”

Clinical Use of Digitalis Glycosides

“…This was often taken to mean prescription of increas ing amounts of drug until cardiac or extracar diac signs of toxicity appeared, as suggested by Withering [1] in his treatise on the fox glove. One, of course, then either discontin ued the drug until the next bout of congestive failure appeared (as was the custom for the time in Europe) [2] or 'backed-off' and when toxic manifestations abated restarted a 'maintenance' dose of the drug. The rela tively high morbidity and mortality associ ated with digitalis toxicity in hospitalized cardiac patients has been emphasized by Beller et al [3], and the wisdom of this approach today is doubtful.…”

DARK Classics in Chemical Neuroscience: Phencyclidine (PCP)

“…In the mid-to-late 1970s, phencyclidine 1 (PCP, “angel dust”) was the most notorious drug in America, garnering unprecedented, negative attention from all media sources and labeled as the “most dangerous drug in America” and “devil drug”. − Tales of superhuman strength, users impervious to pain, self-mutilation, and extreme violence, both murders and suicides, led to what some sources referred to as the “dusting of America” (as surveys showed that ∼20% of all middle and high school students had tried PCP). − People () and Time () magazines, 60 min short films (), movies (), and songs () all highlighted the dangers of PCP useand the sensationalism worked. PCP fell in popularity during the 1980s and 1990s, but generational forgetfulness led to a resurgence in the 21st centuryboth intentional and with many illicit drugs being contaminated with PCP, or with PCP being misrepresented as and/or substituted for other drugs entirely (e.g., LSD, mescaline, psilocybin, THC, cocaine, ecstacy) due to ease of synthesis and lower cost of goods. − Importantly, PCP was man-made, which was in sharp contrast to all other drug of abuse (cocaine, LSD, THC, etc. derived from plants) at that time.…”

“…Furthermore, PCP can be taken by multiple routes of administration: it can be ingested orally in pill format (PeaCe-Pill), snorted (as a white powder), injected intravenously or subcutaneously (as a liquid solution, Wack), or smoked (by spraying on mint, parsley or cannabis or by dipping cigarettes), which fueled its societal uptake (Figure ). − PCP is sold under a multitude of names on the street including angel dust, PeaCe Pill, hog, lovely, wack, ozone, dust, embalming fluid, rocket fuel, crystal, sherm, shermans, amoeba, amp, animal trank, and belladonna. When combined with marijuana or tobacco cigarettes, the PCP combinations are often referred to as wet(s), kools, killer joint, fry, super grass, lovelies, and waters.…”