Hemodynamic and Metabolic Effects of Hemorrhage in Man, with Particular Reference to the Splanchnic Circulation

Abstract

1. Eleven normal subjects were studied before and after removal of 15 to 20% of their blood volume within 35 minutes.

2. This amount of blood loss did not produce conspicuous effects upon any of the usually measured circulatory or metabolic parameters.

3. The results suggest that the splanchnic circulation functions as an important blood reservoir in man, that it can be preferentially depleted of blood by a mechanism which does not automatically increase vascular resistance, and that the ability of our subjects to tolerate blood loss was attributable in large part to this response.