title: Placental vascular responses to nicardipine in the hypertensive ewe.
abstract: Calcium channel blockers are arterial vasodilators effective in the treatment of hypertension. Therefore nicardipine, a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker, should modulate angiotensin II-induced vasoconstriction. Regional blood flows were measured with radioactive microspheres in five chronically catheterized near-term ewes both before and 15 minutes after maternal infusion of angiotensin II at 5 micrograms/min. Nicardipine was then administered intravenously at 20 micrograms/kg/min over 2 minutes while the angiotensin II infusion was maintained. Blood flows were measured after 5 minutes. Maternal blood pressure levels were increased by angiotensin II from 83 +/- 4 mm Hg to 114 +/- 5 mm Hg, and were decreased to 70 +/- 4 mm Hg by nicardipine (p less than 0.05). Nicardipine also reversed angiotensin II-induced vasoconstriction in the renal and endomyometrial vascular beds (p less than 0.05). Unexpectedly, however, nicardipine worsened placental vasoconstriction caused by angiotensin II, as placental blood flow fell from 242 +/- 32 ml.min-1.kg-1 fetal weight to 128 +/- 7 ml.min-1.kg-1 fetal weight (p less than 0.05), and placental resistance increased from 0.48 +/- 0.04 mm Hg.ml-1.min.kg-1 fetal weight to 0.55 +/- 0.05 mm Hg.ml-1.min.kg-1 fetal weight (p less than 0.05). Nicardipine reverses angiotensin II-induced vasoconstriction systemically and in the kidney and uterus of the pregnant ewe, but does not reverse placental vasoconstriction and may significantly alter fetal cardiorespiratory status.
authors: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Texas Medical School, Houston 77030.
authors: V M
authors: VM
authors: Parisi
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Salinas
authors: E J
authors: EJ
authors: Stockmar
mesh_terms: D000804:Angiotensin II; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006973:Hypertension / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009529:Nicardipine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010920:Placenta / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000187:drug effects; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D012079:Renal Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D012756:Sheep; D014599:Uterus / Q000098:blood supply; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000804:Angiotensin II; D009529:Nicardipine