A) A dog model of septic shock has been developed to study the pathophysiology and therapy of this common problem. 1) Lipid X, a precursor of Endotoxin, is being employed as a therapeutic modality in infected dogs looking at the end points of death and cardiovascular dysfunction. 2) Tissue necrosis factor, a mediator thought to be responsible (in part) for the pathophysiological responses in septic shock, is being studied in animals. 3) Catecholamines (dopamine and levophed) are being assessed for their therapeutic efficacy and cardiovascular effects in this animal model. 4) The pulmonary effects of septic shock are being characterized in this model using bronchoscopy and lung scanning. These studies are an important effort to understand how infection causes life-threatening drops in blood pressure and organ dysfunction to determine what therapies can be developed to treat such infections more effectively. B) Various commonly used inhalation anesthetics are being assessed for the degree of cardiovascular dysfunction and therapeutic efficacy.
