AJP - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, Vol 245, Issue 4 576-R580, Copyright © 1983 by American Physiological Society

ARTICLES

Cardiovascular responses to noxious radiant heat in anesthetized cats

S. E. Abram, D. R. Kostreva, F. A. Hopp and J. P. Kampine

The responses of heart rate and blood pressure to noxious radiant heat were studied in seven pentobarbital-anesthetized cats. Afferent activity recorded from the tibial nerve, systemic blood pressure, and heart rate were monitored as skin temperature of the hind footpad was raised to 53 degrees C for 20 s using radiant heat. The averaged tibial afferent nerve activity increased markedly as skin temperature approached 52 degrees C. Within 2-3 s of the onset of increased tibial nerve activity, systolic blood pressure increased an average of 32 mmHg and heart rate increased an average of 16 beats/min in the seven animals that were studied. The results of this study provide evidence for a somatosympathetic reflex that is initiated by cutaneous nociceptors. Under pentobarbital anesthesia, an increase in heart rate and blood pressure appears to be a reliable indicator of nociceptor activation.

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