The Influence of Diet on Response to Hemorrhagic Shock

Prior nutrition is known to influence tolerance to hypovolemic shock. This study was undertaken to determine the influence of dietary composition on the response of animals subjected to hypovolemic shock. Particular attention was directed to the role of high and low protein diet content with a proportionate change in carbohydrate content to yield isocaloric diets. Rats were placed on one of three diets and were subsequently subjected to shock either by 1) hemorrhage to a pre-determined mean arterial blood pressure, or by 2) hemorrhage of a pre-determined volume of blood based on per cent of body weight. Serial measurements were made of blood pressure, blood volume removed, survival time,hematocrit, blood glucose, pH and blood gases. The results indicate that a high protein diet does not prolong tolerance to recurrent blood loss but there is a greatly reduced tolerance to hemorrhage shock in rats whose body weight was maintained on a low protein/high carbohydrate diet. The latter animals also exhibited impaired refill of plasma volume and a paradoxical, continuing hyperglycemic response during hypovolemia. This study suggests that although an abundant supply of blood glucose is available as an energy source, glucose uptake in the peripheral tissues is inhibited during hypovolemia by unknown mechanisms and thus homeostasis is curtailed. The protein content of the diet may be a critical factor in carbohydrate use during shock.