title: Cardiovascular responses to exogenous platelet-activating factor (PAF) in anesthetized ponies, and the effects of a PAF antagonist, WEB 2086.
abstract: The effects of exogenous platelet-activating factor (PAF) were determined in anesthetized ponies. Administration of PAF induced a decrease in cardiac index that resulted in systemic hypotension. This was followed by tachycardia, hypertension, and a return of cardiac index to baseline. Pulmonary arterial pressure increased markedly because of pulmonary vasoconstriction. Exogenous PAF also caused leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. The specific PAF receptor antagonist (WEB 2086) blocked all PAF-induced changes. Flunixin meglumine, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, abolished the pulmonary hypertension and tachycardia, and attenuated the systemic hypotension but did not change the PAF-induced peripheral cellular changes. The PAF antagonist also inhibited platelet aggregation induced by PAF in vitro. The PAF-induced changes are similar to those reported after endotoxin exposure in horses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824.
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Eberhart
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Gray
mesh_terms: D000771:Anesthesia, Intravenous / Q000662:veterinary; D000818:Animals; D001381:Azepines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D003002:Clonixin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006736:Horses / Q000502:physiology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D010972:Platelet Activating Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010974:Platelet Aggregation / Q000187:drug effects; D014230:Triazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D001381:Azepines; D010972:Platelet Activating Factor; D014230:Triazoles; C052518:WEB 2086; C014558:flunixin meglumine; D003002:Clonixin