Bronchial circulation: a constant flow autoperfusion method for assessing its vasomotor activity and the effect of epinephrine

Abstract

The authors described a constant flow autoperfusion of the bronchial artery in the dog, and the effect of epinephrine infusion studied by the technique. They show that epinephrine caused a significant dose dependent rise of bronchial arterial perfusion pressure and that α blockade reversed the pressor action of epinephrine but β blockade had no effect. The observed pressor response of epinephrine is obviously related to α receptor activity in the bronchial artery, while the reversal of the above effect by α blockade suggests that β receptor activity may predominate in the bronchial artery.