Changes in cardiac output and vascular resistance during behavioral stress in the rat

Normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats and borderline hypertensive rats (BHR) were exposed to aversive classical conditioning procedures and chronically instrumented with arterial catheters and electromagnetic flow probes around the ascending aorta. After postoperative recovery, hemodynamic measurements and blood samples were obtained from conscious animals at rest and during aversive conditioning. The cardiovascular response to the behavioral stress consisted of a significant increase in mean arterial blood pressure, total peripheral resistance index, cardiac index, heart rate, and aortic dP/dt for both strains. However, the elevated vascular resistance seen in the BHR resulted in a significantly greater increase in mean arterial blood pressure (21 mmHg) compared with the WKY rats (14 mmHg). In addition, the BHR showed a significantly (P less than 0.05) greater plasma norepinephrine concentration (760 +/- 99 pg/ml) in response to the stress than did the WKY rats (559 +/- 53 pg/ml). These data suggest that an increase in cardiac output, elevated vascular resistance, and increased sympathetic drive may contribute to the development of stress-induced hypertension in this animal model.