Fig. 4. Cardiovascular effects of etomidate (Eto) in α2A-receptor–deficient (α2A-KO), and α2AB-receptor–deficient (α2AB-KO) mice. (a ) Representative aortic pressure traces recorded in anesthetized mice. Intravenous etomidate (2 mg/kg) caused a rapid and transient rise in blood pressure in wild-type mice that was not observed in α2B- or α2AB-deficient mice. (b,c ) Significant increases in diastolic (b ) or systolic (c ) blood pressure were observed in wild-type (WT) animals but not in mice lacking α2B- or α2AB-receptors. *P < 0.05 etomidate versus baseline (n = 6–10 mice per genotype).