Abstract
Summary
Ouabain, norepinephrine, and angiotensin were added to papillary muscles removed from normal cats and from cats in shock. Solutions used in the muscle bath were Krebs-Henseleit solution (KH), normal plasma and shock plasma which contained a myocardial depressant factor (MDF). The MDF depressed developed tension in shock muscles by 50% of the value in KH while it only depressed control muscles by 33%. Ouabain and norepinephrine, but not angiotensin, completely reversed the effect of MDF in shock muscles, restoring contractile force to that present in control plasma. Shock muscles differed from control muscles in that they were more depressed by MDF, and they were more responsive to ouabain. Thus, shock muscles, although functionally altered and depressed by MDF, respond well to ouabain and to norepinephrine. Therefore, cardiac glycosides and β adrenergic drugs may be useful in the therapy of shock.
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