| Abstract: | The effects of the calcium antagonist, nicardipine, on blood pressure and renal hemodynamics were examined in rabbits with norepinephrine- and angiotensin II-induced elevation of blood pressure. With norepinephrine-infusion, the mean arterial pressure increased from 84 +/- 4 to 118 +/- 4 mmHg accompanied by decreases in heart rate (10%) and renal blood flow (45%). In contrast to the changes in renal blood flow with norepinephrine-infusion, renal blood flow following angiotensin II-induced elevation of blood pressure was decreased by more than 60% at the same degree of elevation of mean arterial pressure. Both intravenous and intrarenal administration of nicardipine (1 microgram/kg) reduced the mean arterial pressure and restored the decreased heart rate and renal blood flow in both norepinephrine- and angiotensin II-infused animals. Intrarenal injection of nicardipine decreased the elevated mean arterial pressure of angiotensin II-induced hypertension more than did intravenous injection (16 +/- 2 vs. 11 +/- 3 mmHg, p less than 0.05). Renal nerve denervation did not lead to any significant effects on the mean arterial pressure, heart rate and renal blood flow following intravenous or intrarenal injection of nicardipine in norepinephrine-infused animals. On the other hand, in angiotensin II-induced elevation of blood pressure, the potentiated hypotensive effect of intrarenal injection of nicardipine was lost in renally denervated animals. In conclusion, the calcium antagonist, nicardipine, was shown to reduce the acutely elevated blood pressure caused by norepinephrine or angiotensin II. In angiotensin II-induced elevation of blood pressure, the renal vasculature may play a more important role in both pressor and depressor aspects in the regulation of blood pressure as compared to its role in norepinephrine-induced hypertension. |
