Fig. 1
From: Effects of low doses of esmolol on cardiac and vascular function in experimental septic shock
Vasoreactivity evaluated by myography. Ex vivo vascular responsiveness to phenylephrine and concentration–response curves to acetylcholine in rat thoracic aorta and mesenteric resistance arteries from sham, cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) and CLP + esmolol (CLP + E) groups (n = 8 per group). a and c Contraction of the vessel (in mN.mm−1) as a function of increasing concentrations of phenylephrine (Phe) expressed as log of Phe [M, mole/L]. b and d Relaxation of the vessel (in percent) as a function of increasing concentrations of acetylcholine (Ach) expressed as log of Ach [M, mole/L]. Circles, squares and triangles represent median; upper edges of error bars represent the 75th percentile in each group; *p < 0.05. *Sham vs. CLP, CLP vs. CLP + E-5 and CLP vs. CLP + E-18 (b). *Sham vs. CLP, CLP vs. CLP + E-1 and CLP vs. CLP + E-18 (d). E-1 esmolol 1 mg.kg−1.h−1, E-5 esmolol 5 mg.kg−1.h−1, E-18 esmolol 18 mg.kg−1.h−1. a and b aorta and c and d mesenteric arteries