Alteration of canine renal vascular response to hemorrhage by inhibitors of prostaglandin synthesis.

The involvement of prostaglandins in the redistribution of renal cortical blood flow to inner cortical nephrons during hemorrhagic hypotension was studied in the pentobarbital-anesthetized dog. Total renal blood flow and distribution of renal cortical flow were determined with the radioactive microsphere technique by dividing the cortex into four zones of equal thickness, zone 1 being outermost and zone 4 being juxtamedullary. Two inhibitors of prostaglandin synthesis were used: indomethacin 8 mg/kg and aspirin 100 mg/kg. The inhibitor or the vehicle was given intravenously prior to a control period which was followed by a hemorrhage sufficient to decrease arterial pressure by about one-third. The distribution of cortical flow was determined before hemorrhage, during hemorrhagic hypotension, and after transfusion. In the vehicle-treated dogs, total renal blood flow was well maintained, but flow redistributed to favor the inner cortical nephrons. This vasodilation in the inner cortex was blocked by both inhibitors of prostaglandin synthesis resulting in a decrease in total renal blood flow and relative ischemia of the juxtamedullary nephrons. Salicylate levels required to accomplish blockage of inner cortical vasodilaton were less than 7 mg/100 ml. These studies indicate that prostaglandins are responsible for the decreased vascular resistance of the inner cortical nephrons which results in the redistribution of blood flow during hemorrhage, and when prostaglandin synthesis is blocked, the kidney vasculature constricts during hemorrhage.