THE EFFECT OF EPINEPHRIN IN CIRCULATORY COLLAPSE INDUCED BY SODIUM NITRITE

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Abstract
The effect of epinephrin has been studied in vasomotor collapse induced by NaNO2 in subjects in the upright position. Both in the horizontal and in the upright position, epinephrin in subcutaneous doses of 1.0 mg. caused arteriolar constriction in and decreased blood flow through the hand. The venous tone became increased, as did the arterial pulse pressure and the heart rate; the venous pressure was usually slightly elevated. Epinephrin did not prevent the vasomotor collapse and syncope produced by NaNO2, mainly because the arteriolar constriction and the tissue anoxia were enhanced and because the decreased venous tone produced by nitrite was not adequately compensated for. The expts. indicate that the level of the arterial pressure is not a reliable index of the clinical manifestations of vasomotor collapse or of the degree of tissue anoxia. The study presented throws light on the treatment of different types of vasomotor collapse. The fact that epinephrin is ineffective in nitrite collapse does not rule out its efficacy in other types of collapse.