Vascular instability as defined by systemic hypotension and unresponsiveness to endogenous or exogenous vasoactive substances is a feature of both patients and experimental animals with obstructive jaundice. In this study, we have attempted to dissect the possible mechanisms for these abnormalities using both in vivo and in vitro methods. In vivo cumulative pressor responses (Rmax) to intravenous and intraarterial infusions of norepinephrine and angiotensin II and to intravenous infusion of angiotensin I were studied pre- and postoperatively in chronic bile duct-ligated dogs and compared to sham-operated dogs. Preoperatively, the pressor responses to the cumulative infusion of six doses of vasoactive substances in the pre-sham operated and pre-chronic bile duct-ligated dogs were not significantly different. Postoperatively, in the sham-operated dogs, there was no significant change in systemic blood pressure at 1 and 3 weeks, and only in isolated instances were significantly different pressor responses found compared to the preoperative result. In chronic bile duct-ligated dogs, the mean systemic blood pressure fell significantly from 117.2 +/- 3.1 to 107.2 +/- 3.0 mm Hg (p less than 0.01) at 1 week and remained significantly lower at 3 weeks [109.7 +/- 2.6 mm Hg (p less than 0.05)]. The Rmax to intravenous, but not intraarterial norepinephrine, was significantly decreased. In contrast, the Rmax to both intravenous and intraarterial angiotensin II infusions were significantly depressed at both 1 and 3 weeks. Similarly, the response to intravenous angiotensin I was significantly depressed. Cardiac output rose moderately in two sham-operated dogs from an average of 3.1 to 3.5 liters per min by 3 weeks associated with a decrease of 14.8% in peripheral vascular resistance.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)