Sotalol for the protection of turkeys from the development of β‐aminopropionitrile‐induced aortic ruptures

Summary1 The influence of feeding 2 levels of sotalol on the incidence of β‐aminopropionitrile (BAPN)‐induced aortic ruptures of immature turkeys was determined. 2 Four of 22 turkeys fed 0·12% sotalol and 0·07% BAPN died of aortic ruptures, but 6 of 21 turkeys fed only BAPN died of the syndrome. 3 Blood pressure, heart rate, aortic tensile strength, and aortic structure as seen by light‐ and electron‐microscope were similar in turkeys fed BAPN alone or both BAPN and 0·12% sotalol concurrently. 4 In a second experiment, 13 of 24 turkeys fed 0·7% BAPN alone died of aortic ruptures, but only 2 of 24 turkeys fed BAPN and 0·2% sotalol concurrently died of the disease. 5 Aortic tensile strength was lower, heart rate was faster, alterations of aortic elastic fibres as seen by light‐ and electron‐microscope were more severe, and aortic salt soluble collagen with a higher amino acid content was increased in turkeys fed only BAPN, as compared to turkeys fed both BAPN and 0·2% sotalol.