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The effects of sodium nitroprusside on cerebral blood flow and cerebral venous blood gases
Author(s) -
HENRIKSEN LEIF,
PAULSON OLAF B.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
european journal of clinical investigation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.164
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1365-2362
pISSN - 0014-2972
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2362.1982.tb00685.x
Subject(s) - cerebral blood flow , anesthesia , sodium nitroprusside , medicine , pco2 , hemodynamics , blood pressure , middle cerebral artery , venous blood , cardiology , ischemia , nitric oxide
. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral venous blood gases were investigated in seven awake patients during hypotension induced with sodium nitroprusside. Infusion of the drug into the internal carotid artery produced no changes in cerebral haemodynamics. Intravenous nitroprusside infusion resulted in a decrease in both CBF and jugular venous PO 2 ( P <0·01, respectively). Reducing mean arterial blood pressure by 18% and 43% produced a mean CBF fall of 6% and 27% respectively. Arteriovenous oxygen difference increased in consonance with the CBF decrease ( P <0·01). Arterial PCO 2 fell during the infusion ( P <0·01). At 18% blood pressure reduction, the observed PCO 2 decrease of 0·25 kPa could account for the 6% CBF decrease. At 43% blood pressure reduction, PCO 2 fell by 0·53 kPa, a decrease which could not explain the observed CBF fall of 27%. Dizziness and incipient fainting occurred in the patients at this point. It is concluded that sodium nitroprusside has a minor but significant effect on cerebral haemodynamics in normal awake man.