Reduction in severity of acute renal failure in rats by beta-adrenergic blockade.

The effectiveness of beta-adrenergic blockade in preventing acute renal failure (A.R.F.) in rats was studied in the hypoxia model produced by unilateral nephrectomy and clamping of the contralateral renal artery for 70 minutes. Beta-adrenergic blockade effectively reduced the severity of A.R.F. in this experimental model. Treatment with a combination of propranolol and a synthetic angiotensin-II competitive inhibitor (P113) produced no further improvement. These results are consistent with the view that intrarenal release of renin is to some extent involved in the pathogenesis of A.R.F.