Blood flow distribution in anesthetized normal and spontaneously hypertensive rats

Using an electromagnetic flowmeter, regional blood flow was measured at the carotid, celiac, superior mesenteric, renal, and iliac arteries in normal Wistar rats and spontaneously hypertensive rats anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium. The sum of the mean values of the flow rate normalized per 100 g body weight for all the arteries was similar for both groups. About a half of the sum was drained through the superior mesenteric artery in both groups. The normalized flow rate was similar for both rat groups for each artery excepting the renal artery where the flow rate was significantly greater in the hypertensive rats.