THE EFFECT OF THE VALSALVA MANOEUVRE ON THE SYSTEMIC AND PULMONARY ARTERIAL PRESSURE IN MAN

Abstract

There is little information concerning reflex vasomotor activity in the pulmonary arterial system in man. Pulmonary arterial resistance is known to increase during anoxia (Motley et al., 1947; Doyle, et al., 1952) and animal experiments suggest that this is a local effect on the vessels them- selves (von Euler and Li1jestrand, 1948; Duke, 1951). de Burgh Daly et al. (1932 and 1948) have produced pulmonary arterial constriction by electrical stimulation of the stellate ganglion and of the cervical and thoracic vago-sympathetic system of the perfused dog, but this effect is small in the intact animal