Effect of althesin on renal perfusion in anaesthetized dogs

Since Althesin affects not only the systemic circulation but also certain regional blood flows autoregulated by intrinsic mechanisms, such as cerebral and coronary blood flow, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Althesin upon renal blood flow. After an injection of 2.0 mg/kg Althesin, heart rate (63 per cent) and cardiac output (21 per cent) increased, while total peripheral resistance (25 per cent), mean aortic pressure (9 per cent) and the maximum rate of change of left ventricular pressure (31 per cent) decreased. In spite of the large renal fraction of cardiac output (17.4 per cent) the renal blood flow remained unchanged. Althesin is believed not to be contra-indicated in the presence of renal dysfunction.