Experiments were performed to test the possible involvement of arginine vasopressin (AVP) in the systemic cardiovascular responses to acute hypercapnic acidosis in conscious chronically instrumented rats. Exposure to 6% CO2 caused arterial PCO2 to rise from 34 +/- 2 to 53 +/- 1 Torr. This level of hypercapnia was associated with a consistent bradycardia; however, cardiac output, blood pressure, and total peripheral resistance were not significantly affected. Administration of 10 micrograms/kg iv of the specific V1 vasopressinergic antagonist d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)AVP during 6% CO2 had no effect on any of the measured hemodynamic variables. Furthermore, d(CH2)5Tyr(Me)AVP also had no effect in normocapnic control animals. Exposure to a more severe level of hypercapnia (10% CO2, arterial PCO2 = 89 +/- 1 Torr) resulted in marked hemodynamic alterations. Profound bradycardia and decreased cardiac output in addition to increases in mean arterial blood pressure and total peripheral resistance were observed. V1 vasopressinergic antagonism during 10% CO2 had no effect on heart rate but greatly increased cardiac output. In addition, blood pressure fell and resistance was decreased below prehypercapnic levels. These data suggest that a number of the hemodynamic alterations associated with severe hypercapnic acidosis in the conscious rat may be mediated by the peripheral cardiovascular effects of enhanced AVP release.