ABC | Volume 114, Nº2, February 2020

Original Article Fleury et al. Epinephrine and felypressin effects Arq Bras Cardiol. 2020; 114(2):295-303 Table 1 – Basal values Weight (g) Mean BP (mmHg) Systolic BP (mmHg) Diastolic BP (mmHg) Heart rate (BPM) Non-smoker Normotensive 285.00 ± 25.09 112.7 (101.7-118.8) 140.5 (123.2-144.0) 99.6 (93.1-103.4) 210.5 (194.1-225.1) 1K1C Hypertensive 297.83 ± 30.20 163.1 (155.3-177.7) a 201.1 (188.3-231.9) a 135.2 (127.9-148.6) a 205.9 (196.2-248.9) 1K1C Atenolol-Treated 215.00 ± 34.29 a 148.9 (136.1-163.4) a.b 184.9 (175.3-201.2) a.b 132.5 (119.3-142.8) a.b 185.7 (176.5-207.7) Smoker Normotensive 302.50 ± 19.04 104.1 (93.6-112.4) 134.8 (119.2-145.2) 86.2 (81.6-95.8) 225.1 (206.2-249.4) 1K1C Hypertensive 250.58 ± 16.21 c 156.6 (152.7-160.3) a 194.35 (188.8-203.3) a 129.7 (126.5-145.3) a 219.7 (207.6-231.1) 1K1C Atenolol-Treated 254.42 ± 21.86 c 126.2 (117.7-138.1) a.b 153.5 (148.6-167.5) a.b 106.1 (102.8-111.1) a.b 212.6 (200.0-218.7) Values of weight; basal values for mean, systolic, diastolic arterial pressure and heart rate obtained during the first five minutes for smoker and non-smoker normotensive, 1K1C hypertensive and 1K1C atenolol-treated groups (n = 12). Weight – Mean ± Standard Deviation. Arterial Pressure and Heart Rate - Median (25 th Percentile-75 th Percentile). a p < 0.05 compared with normotensive group. b p < 0.05 compared with hypertensive group. c p < 0.05 compared with non-smoker respective group. Figure 2 – Maximal hypertensive response curves after intravenous injection in bolus of epinephrine (A) or felypressin (B) in control non-smoker normotensive and smoker normotensive rats, non-smoker 1K1C hypertensive and smoker 1K1C hypertensive, non-smoker 1K1C atenolol-treated and smoker 1K1C atenolol-treated rats. n = 6 for all groups. Median (25 th Percentile-75 th Percentile). *p < 0.05 vs non-smokers groups. Comparison between Epinephrine and Felypressin When comparing felypressin to epinephrine responses in each group, felypressin showed a reduced hypertensive effect on smoker normotensive, smoker 1K1C-atenolol treated and non-smoker 1KC -atenolol-treated rats (Figure 5). In smoker and non-smoker hypertensive rats, there was no significant difference between both vasoconstrictors. In non- smoker normotensive rats, felypressin resulted in a greater hypertensive effect when compared with epinephrine. Discussion We associated smoke with hypertension and atenolol treatment in an attempt to reproduce a multifactorial disease. In order to provide safety information about isolated use of vasoconstrictors via intravascular route, which cannot be tested in humans, our study aimed to test if epinephrine is contraindicated in the smoker and hypertensive population and to provide a safe alternative through the analyses of systemic effects. Epinephrine was used as the vasoconstrictor 298