Acute Haemodynamic Effects of Pindolol During Pregnancy in Experimental Renal Hypertension

Clinical as well as experimental studies have demonstrated a 70% reduction in utero-placental blood flow in pregnancies affected by Severe hypertension (13, 19). In pregnant renal hypertensive rats, propranolol administration causes a further 50% reduction in utero-placental blood flow (16). The present study on renal hypertensive rats was performed in order to explore the acute effects on central haemodynamics and utero-placental blood flow of the non-selective P-blocker pindolol, which also has an intrinsic P-stimulatory effect. Renal hypertension was induced by partial clamping of both renal arteries in female Wistar rats 4 weeks before pregnancy. Some 2-4 days before expected parturition, cardiac output was determined with the dye-dilution technique and blood flow to the reproductive organs with the microsphere technique, both before and after acute pindolol administration. Mean arterial pressure and heart rate were recorded continuously during the experiment. After pindolol injection, mean arterial p...