Blood pressure and heart weight in immature and spawning Pacific salmon

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
To ascertain whether or not hypertension, characteristic of Cushing''s syndrome, was present in Pacific salmon exhibiting an analogous type of hyperadrenocorticism, study was made of blood pressure in salmon at several stages of their spawning migration and sexual maturation. Measurements of blood pressure were determined in the heart, the ventral aorta, and the dorsal aorta by means of a strain gauge connected with needles inserted into these 3 sites. Ecg readings were taken at the same time. It was found that there was no significant change in either systolic or diastolic blood pressure from the time the salmon entered the river in a state of sexual immaturity until they spawned 1-6 mo. later. In many of the spawning fish high levels of 17-hydroxycorticosteroids had been present for probably 4-5 mo. Heart weights were less in spawning than in immature fish. Heart rate, the character of the ecg, pulse pressure in the systemic circulation, and comparison with blood pressure in steelhead trout are discussed.

This publication has 2 references indexed in Scilit: