Effect of Hemorrhagic Shock on the Reactivity of Resistance and Capacitance Vessels and on Capillary Filtration Transfer in Cat Skeletal Muscle.

• It has been suggested that circulatory failure in hemorrhagic shock is due in large part to a derangement of the peripheral circulation. The exact nature of this derangement is as yet obscure. It is known that arterial pressure is low and blood flow to many areas (e.g., skeletal muscle) is reduced. It is also known that one of the important compensatory mechanisms in shock is an increased sympathetic discharge. Previous studies on the peripheral circulation in shock have been restricted almost exclusively to descriptions of the changes in resistance to blood flow. This is only one function of the peripheral vascular bed. A complete analysis must also take into account the concomitant effect of shock on the other functions, e.g., capacitance, the relative size of the capillary bed open to flow, and the rate and direction of capillary filtration transfer. Using the technique described by Mellander in which all these functions can be studied simultaneously, an investigation was carried out examining the effects of reduced regional blood flow on the several functions of the peripheral circulation. The results of