An endoscopic test for bit-induced nasopharyngeal asphyxia as a cause of exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage in the horse

摘要

In their article on sudden death in racehorses, Lyle et al. [1] expressed the hope that their study would stimulate hypothesis-led investigations into possible causes. Currently, there is no consensus on the ?rst cause of exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH). But the 2 leading mechanistic hypotheses are only at odds over the ?imsiest of barriers – the pulmonary air/blood barrier. The majority opinion is that ‘bleeding’ occurs because of abnormally high capillary pressure on the blood side of the barrier. Let us call this the blood pressure hypothesis. The minority opinion is that it occurs because of abnormally low negative pressure on the air side of the barrier – the air pressure hypothesis.