Mechanism of abrupt hypotension with stretch of right atrium during cardiac surgery

During cardiac surgery abrupt hypotension sometimes occurs by the atrium being pulled, though the hypotensive mechanism is not known. The effects of mechanical stretching of the right atrium on haemodynamics and renal sympathetic nerve activity in the anesthetized rabbit was investigated. During stretching of the right atrial appendage with a metal weight (right atrial stretch), both mean arterial pressure (mAP) and renal sympathetic nerve activity significantly decreased. Bilateral vagotomy significantly reduced the change in mean arterial pressure with right atrial stretch (P < 0.01), and significantly increased renal sympathetic nerve activity (P < 0.01). The duration of the decreases of mean arterial pressure with right atrial stretch was significantly shortened after vagotomy. Decreases of blood flow of the descending aorta with right atrial stretch were observed and not affected by vagotomy. These results suggest that hypotension with mechanical stimulation of the right atrium is not only due to the decrease in cardiac output but also to sympathetic inhibition through the vagus via cardiac baroreflex.