Independent change of plasma and tissue renin in response to anesthetics

It was the purpose of this study to determine whether acute increases of endogenous plasma renin induced by administration of anesthetics cause simultaneous increases of the enzyme in aortic tissue of the rat. Administration of CO2 did not alter plasma or tissue renin. Ether, Innovar and Nembutal increased active plasma renin and had variable effects on the inactive form of the enzyme. Only Innovar, a combination of droperidol and fentanyl, increased aortic renin. The active component of Innovar was shown to be droperidol, which also increased aortic renin in 24 hour nephrectomized animals. The increase of aortic renin was, therefore, independent of changes of circulating active or inactive renin. The increase of tissue renin following droperidol was rapid, suggesting activation of an inactive tissue renin.